newsitems

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- The New President of EU Parliament's Delegation for the USA, as well as vice-President of its Defence/Security Committee, German MEP from Bayern, (Host of the World-Famous "International Security Conference" annually), a ChristianDemocrat/EPP of the Governing Coalition, Christian Ehrel, speaking to "Eurofora" the Same Day that the Plenary of EU Parliament's Weekly Session in Strasbour, after a Public Debate on Tuesday, was Voting an important New Resolution on Syria, including on the Turkish Military Invasion in the Syrian Kurdish Canton of Afrin, which has Now, notoriously reached a Crucial Point, as its Capital City, reportedly hosting some 600.000 People, including many Refugees, has been surrouned and attacked by Turkey's Army and its Islamist Extremist Jihadist Armed Gangs, clearly found that there is any Interest to "STOP" such a Bloody Turkey's Military Engagement, which also Risks to "Destabilize" the region.

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- "Eurofora" had Questioned the EU Parliament's USA and and Defence/Security Committees' Leading MEP, about his feelings on such an exceptional and crucial "ConJunction of Human Rights, GeoPolitics, and Security issues", as the Turkish Military Invasion to Syria's Kurdish Afrin canton, which notoriously Affects Both Many Civilian People and the Best Local Ally of the US-led International Coalition against the Deadly Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's Coward Killers Targetting innocent Civilian People throughout Europe, including also Russia, but even in the USA, etc.

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- Europe could, "Sure", be more Active on that Topical issue, President Ehrel agreed with "Eurofora" from the outset.

- "The Problem, right now, is that this is Linked with the (Wider) Syrian Conflict, which is, more or less, Influenced by Foreign Powers", told us, in Reply, the Top MEP of the Governing Coalition in Germany.

- In particular, Nowadays, "the Question arises : - "What is Turkey going to do ?", he pointed out.

- "And, I know that a Lot of People are, acturally, Worried", both in Europe, in the USA and elsewhere, , "about the Kurds, etc", (in an Area where more than 360.000 Displaced People also from Various Other Communities had found Refuge in Afrin's Canton, according to International Organisations' data, already Since 2016 : Arabs, Alevi, Yazidi,, Christians, etc).

- "Alhough", YPG might be "a fairly Socialist, or Stalinist Party, we should overlook that, Because, in Fact, it's just the Ombrella Organisation of (all) the (National) Kurdish Interests", in general, he observed realistically.

=> Thus, "in terms of Containment, I think that there is any Interest to get the Turks to STOP that kind of (Military) Engagement", the Leading MEP of EU Parliament's USA and Defence/Security Committees stressed.

- "Because, First of all, it's very likely that it's going to be a Bloody Fight for the Turks", themshelves, he observed, (while London-based NGO "Syrian Observatory on Human Rights", and others, have already, repeatedly Noted Bigger Number of Casualties among Armed Fighters, on Turkey's side, than on the Syrian Kurdish, as far as strictly Military staff is concerned).

- Moreover, "it could DeStablize also Turkey (itself), in a way", "Specifically in the (Turkish) Kurdish Regions", he naturally Warned.

+ "Secondly, I think that, Still, for the Americans, the Problem is that if the Kurds withdraw (in the Fight against ISIL's Deadly Islamist Terrorists : Comp. Supra), the Next Time they (USA) will Have to Intervene themselves".

- "Even for Europe, it's a problem, (also) Because, (inter alia), you have, f.ex., German Tanks from one side, and German Anti-Tank Rockets from the Other Side !", etc., he noted, at the tip of the iceberg...

>>> "So, the Question is if Erdogan is going to (further) engage in a (fully-fledged) War on the Ground, in a(en even) Longer Perspective", or not.

=> - In that case, "then, the Situation is going to Explode, from my point of view !", EU Parliament's USA + Security/Defence Committees' Leading MEP sternly Warned.

- "Or, if he (the Turkish President) Needs that Only Politically, (i.e.) in order to Show some <<Strength>>, Before the (forthcoming) Elections" of 2019 inside Turkey, he speculated.

- In this case, then, "I think that (from Turkey's point of view) Much will be Decided After the Elections" of 2019.

- Also "Because Erdogan is really Worried that they are going in the Wrong Direction", the Exerienced European MEP from German felt.

- "They (Ankara's current Government) had (initially) perceived that it was going to be an Easy Win", he reminded.

>>> - "But, Now, all out of a Sudden, it does No longer seem like that...".

- "And, so, in my view, the (overall) Setting (from Ankara's Side) is going to be Decided After the Turkish Elections" of 2019, "because then you can count what will be Ankara's position in all that", he reiterated.

+ "Russia, though it has no (particular) interest to stop that, But, Also, No interest at all to put Oil in there, in this situation", EU's Top MEP added, as far as GeoPolitic realities are concerned.

++ "And, the other thing, is what is the Perception of the New Alliance between the USA and the Saudis etc" Arabs, (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordany, etc.), he Topically added,

- "It will have a Lot of Influence", particularly "in terms of the (Arab) Sunni Community", the Experienced, Top EU MEP estimated, in this regard. (Timely speaking just after a Crystal-clear and interesting Reaction by UAE's Foreign MInister Gargash Against the Turkish Foreign Military Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Canton of Afrin : See ... ). "

- "But, is it going to Work (further enough) ?", he wondered, particularly after USA's "First Attempts to play there a more Active Role, well Beyond just signing the Pay-Check", (i.e. also Politically), as he noted, expressing EU's Interest to find out.

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+ In Addition, according to EU Parliament's USA Desk Officer Alexandros Karides, who works for the EU - USA Inter-Parliamentary Committee, (due to Meet in Full on June 2018, in Varna, Bulgaria : the current EU rotating chairholder), the "US Congress is very Upset about (what's going on in) Afrin", and "they (US Congress) put a lot of Pressure" on that Issue.

=> - So that, it seems that "the (USA) State Department and the Presidency (at Don Trump's White House) will Try to Mediate Something". (Inter alia, perhaps, also, f.ex., "in terms of American Troops standing in front of those Villages", so that, probably, "there is no way of going inside" for Turkey's Military and/or its Extremist Islamist Jihadi Armed Gangs' proxies, etc).

- "But, they (USA) have Not Yet gone into Action, because they want to give some Time to the Organizations to Deal with it. So, we (EU) don't know" yet how things might really evolve, from these points of view, those Other EUP Sources estimated. WithOut, however, making it clear whether they meant Both for Afrin and Manbij Cities, located accross the Syrian Kurdish Region, near the Syrian-Turkish Borders, or Only for Manbij, where Turkey has also, notoriously, Claimed to Intervene with its Army asap, particularly during the Latest Visit of USA State Secretary Rex Tillerson (See: ...). Neither saying whether they spoke on the basis of elements which existed Before Tillerson's Withdrawal, this Week, or After his replacement by Pompeo, (See Infra)...

++ Meanwhile, the New USA State Department Secretary, after Tillerson's withdrawal, (Announced Earlier this week by US President Don Trump himself), Mike Pompeo, notoriously comes also from US Congress, where he had served for a Long Time in the Past.

- Today, EU Parliament's USA Delegation Chairman, MEP Christian Ehler, said to "Eurofora" that he "Knew Pompeo, from the NSA", i.e. the North American "National Security Agency", while Pompeo recently had been named by President Trump as CIA's Chief, (where he will be succeeded, Now, by Gina Haspel, an Experienced CIA veteran and, until now, its Deputy Director).

Pompeo, (who needs also an US Congress endorsement procedure, Before he fully assumes his New Task), is, reportedly, due to Visit Brussels, inter alia, for relevant NATO Meetings there.

>>> By an Astonishing "Coincidence", Tillerson's replacement by Pompeo was Announced in Public by a Short and Sharp "Tweet" of US President Don Trump, on Tuesday, 13 of March : I.e. After the Beginning of this Week's EU Parliament's Plenary Session for March in Strasbourg, when it was Officially Confirmed that it would hold a Public Debate and Vote on a New Resolution on Syria, which would Include Afrin, as it became obvious by its President, Antonio Tajani's Public Statements, at the Official Opening of EU Parliament's Session, and by the Draft Resolutions Tabled then by most Political Groups of MEPs, on Monday Afternoon, 12 of March here, Followed by a Public Debate, on Tuesday 13, where EU's High Representative for External Action, Frederica Mogherini, stressed that all this concerned, now, "Afrin FIRST" (See: ..).

- But, Despite Tillerson Spokesman's, Goldstein's Denial, Earlier this week, that the Out-Going USA State Secretary might have known about that Beforehand, nevertheless, according to White House sources, its Chief of Staff, Kelly, had Already Warned Tillerson by Phone that something was "Imminent", as Early as since Last Friday and Saturday, 9 and 10 March.

+ Thus, Tillerson suddenly Cancelled a previously Scheduled Meeting in one among the African States that he was Visiting in a Tour, last Saturday evening (10/3/2018), and, on Sunday, March 11, he "Cut Short" his African Tour, in order to Return immediately to Washington DC.

>>> The Point is that, All these Series of apparently Converging Moves, Started precisely, the Same Day that a 1st USA - Turkey Experts/Diplomats Meeting (of Thursday and Friday : March 8 and 9) had Concluded, in Washington DC, where it was supposed to Deal, inter alia, particularly about Ankara's Claims for Turkish Army and/or Proxies to "Replace" Syrian Kurds (Allies of USA-led International Coalition against ISIS' Deadly Islamist Terrorists) throughout all or most of the Syrian Kurdish Region, accross the Syrian - Turkish Borders, (Starting by Afrin and continuing, eventially, by Manbij, etc).

* On February, Tillerson had Faced Heavy Pressure by Turkey on that, very Controversial Issue, during his Latest Visit to Ankara, where he had met with Turkish President Erdogan, under Exceptionaly Strict Conditions of Secrecy : I.e. even withOut any American Interpreter, Nor Diplomat, but Only the Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglou serving also as .. Interpreter, Contrary to the Established US Practices, as Many had Noticed, then. This had been shortly Followed also by a quite "Hot" Press Conference, Next Morning, by Tillerson and Cavusoglou, where the American side was also Pressured in Public about alleged Past Promises (dating since the Barak Hussein Obama's era) to practically Drop the Kurds, After having Used them for the Fight against ISIS' Islamist Terrorists, (See ..).

Tillerson diplomatically had prefered, then, to Postpone any Public Statement on that Controversial Issue, Pointing, Instead, to a Series of USA - Turkey Experts' Meetings, which were due to Start, in Washington DC, later on March.

=> Then, the Conclusion of the 1st among those "Hot" Meetings behind Closed Doors between Turkish and American Experts/Diplomats, Last Week in Washington DC, on Friday, March 8, practically "Coincided", strangely, with the 1st Known Move by USA's White House which was reportedly Related also with Tillerson's replacement by Pompeo, officially Announced Later-on, (Comp. Supra)...

New US President Don Trump, has notoriously Based his Popular 1st "State of the Union" Speech, Earlier on January 30, in the US Congress, mainly on Economic progress and on the Defeat of ISIS' Deadly Islamist Terrorists, concerning Most Territory that they had previously invaded and occupied in Syria and Iraq.

>>> This Latest Achievement, against a particularly Deadly Islamist Terrorism by ISIS' Cowards, (who used to Target Defenseless Civilian People in several EU Member States, Russia, USA, and various Other Countries also in Africa, Asia, etc), was, notoriously, Obtained also with the Decisive Help of Syrian Kurdish People on the Ground, (and their allies, in the "Syrian Democratic Forces", that they had created and leaded).

Turkish sources were Now Sticking again in what they ambitiously Claimed to be "a Proposal", "Model" or "Road Map", "for the Issue of Manbij", during these Experts' Talks in Wash.DC, seeking to Extend Turkey's Army's role in, somehow, perhaps invading/occupying, mutatis-mutandis, also the Eastern Part of the Syrian Kurdish Region. However, they had already made a similar claim with Tillerson, Last February in Ankara, and he had replied, in public, that such issues would be simply "Discussed".

- "But we doN’t know which path the New Staff will follow", Erdogan reportedly said on that now, (Calling "Staff" the New USA Secretary of State, former Congressman, Mike Pompeo, for whom New US President Don Trump has just said that he was "always on the Same Wavelength" with POTUS).

+ At any case, meanwhile, an important Visit that Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu was due to make to the USA on March 19, was, now, "Postponed" sine die.

++ And, EU Parliament, by Adopting Later Today in Strasbourg a Last-Minute Amendment which "Expresses Deep Concern at Turkey's Intervention in Areas of Syria which are controlled by Kurdish forces",

gave a Crystal-clear and Strong Boost for USA to Resist to Ankara's pressure for UnEthical, UnJustified and Dangerous Concessions against the Best Local Allies on the Ground for the US-Led International Coalition to Fight ISIS' Deadly Islamist Terrorists cowardly Targetting Civilian People, which recently became Succesful, on 2017, notoriously thanks, particularly, to the Syrian Kurds-led "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF).

A quite Succesful move of Euro-American Cooperation, on a Rare Topical Issue where, normally, all the Other relevant Global Partners (as Russia and China, even the directly concerned Syrian Government, added naturally to Syrian Kurds themselves) would not have any objection at all to support, (as well as all Freedom, Justice and Efficiency-Loving People in the World)...

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/(UPDATED)- Just Hours after deadly Turkish Bombings on the surrounded Afrin city, EU Parliament adopted a last minute Amendment in a New Resolution on Syria, expressing Deep Concern for Turkey's military Intervention in Syria's Kurdish canton of Afrin and other similar areas, calling Ankara to Withdraw its Troops, and, in the meantime, for a CeaseFire, (as UNSC has already asked).

This is contained in a largely supported, new EU Parliament's Resolution on Syria in general, which was drafted jointly by 5 Political Groups, added to a Public Debate where Frederica Mogherini, EU Commission's vice-President and High Representative of EU Council (i.e. of all EU Heads of State/Governments, including France, the UK, Germany, Italy, etc), stressed, already on Tuesday that it concerns "FIRST, Akrin",

+ Today's EU Resolution also "Underlines that the EU should Consider All available Options ..., Including ... the Establishment of NO-FLY ZONES under a UNSC Resolution", (Article 13).

This Fits particularly Well the case of Afrin, since, in principle, it's hard to find any legitimate interest for anyone among UNSC 5 Permanent Members to, eventually, oppose a Veto against an elementary Protection,

in Front of a Foreign Military Invasion by Turkey, Bombarding a Syrian Kurdish City which Hosts 700.000 People, including Refugees from Other Areas, is Notoriously Peaceful and the Only one to have Never Attacked anyone else, but, on the Contrary, has even Send and Sacrificed several among its Citizens in order to Help the US-led International Coalition to Fight Against the Deady Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's Coward Killers Targetting innocent Civilian People even throughout Europe, including Russia, in the USA and elsewhere in the World.

Already, inter alia, it's also former French President, Francois Hollande, just reportedly Suggested to, indeed, Establish such a "No-Fly Zone" in order to Protect Afrin's current 700.000 Inhabitants.

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In particular :

- The 28 Member States strong EU Parliament, for the 1st Time so Clearly, "Express(ed) Deep Concern at Turkey's Intervention", after its Plenary Adopted a Last-Minute Amendment, Today, Thursday 15 March 2018 in Strasbourg.

>>> Interestingly, (and very Topically), this important Addition concerns Not Only Afrin, but Also ALL Other Syrian Kurdish Territories, since the Adopted Text explicitly slams any "Turkey's Intervention in Areas of Syria which are controlled by Kurdish forces" :

=> I.e., also Elsewhere, f.ex. at Manbij, where Ankara notoriously Pressures the USA to Drop the Syrian Kurds and Replace them by Turkey's Military and/or its "Proxies" Jihadists Armed Gangs, etc.

+ Something that the Turkish President Erdogan has repeatedly Threatened to Extend throughout All Syrian areas near the Borders, Traditionally inhabited mainly by Kurdish People, affecting a Huge Territory, (and very Close to the areas where Syrian Kurds notoriously Fought many Hard Battles in order Both to Protect their Populations (f.ex. at Kobane, etc), and, Further, to Help the US-led International Coalition to Win the Fight against ISIS' Deadly Islamist Terrorists cowardly Targetting Civilian People, (f.ex. by Liberating even Raqqa City, until Deir-el-Zor, etc).

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- In the MeanTime, EU Parliament's adopted New Resolution clealry "Calls for a CEASEFIRE throughout Syria, therefore INCLUDING AFRIN", i.e. Explicitly Applying UN Security Council's latest Resolution on Syria, also in the case of that Syrian Kurdish Canton, currently Facing Deadly Aggressions by the Turkish Military Invasion.

+ Moreover, EU Parliament added, Today, a crystal-clear "Call on the Turkish Government to WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS", (Article 6).

++ However, since the Word "Immediately", curiously was Not Included in the above-mentioned sentence, (Comp. Supra), Meanwhile, EU Parliament "Demands full Respect for Humanitarian Law, including the PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS", "Warn(ing) against further Deterioration of the ...Humanitarian Crisis", (in the Same Paragraph No 6, which refers to Syrian Kurdish Areas and particularly Afrin).

Because Reports about Civilian People's Casualties are Multiplying, as Turkish-led Armed Aggressions against Afrin City (where even Water was Cut off after a Turkish Attack) are Growing.

In a Premonitory way, EU Parliament also "Reminds ... that Hospital and Medical Personel are explicitly Protected under International Humanitarian Law" : Afrin, indeed, has Only 1 Hospital for Major Operations, to serve a Population of some 700.000...

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+++ MEPs confirmed that they are "Seriously Worried about the ... Situation in Afrin", which is currently "Escalating", (as Turkish Military has practiclly Surrounded the City and Started Deadly Attacks against it).

++++ Current Risks, at Afrin, "include", f.ex., even a "possible Confrontation between Turkish Forces and Assad" (Syrian Government's Army), "or Russian Forces" too, while also "Tensions with the U.S." are "Rising", as far as Turkey's Claims to Extend even Further (towards Manbij, etc) its Military Intervention against precious and efficient Syrian Kurdish Allies of the US-led International Coalition against ISIS' Terrorists, (Comp. Supra).

+++++ In fact, "the Opening of New Fronts in Syria is Not in the Interest of Turkey's Security", critically Warns Ankara the EU Parliament, "Echo(ing) the position of the (EU Commission's) Vice-President and (EU Council's) High Representative" for External Action, Frederica Mogherini.

"Call(ing) on the Turkish Government to ... Play a Constructive Role in the Syrian Conflict", EU Parliament points out that this "is also in Turkey's National Interests".

++++++ But, at the Same Time, MEPs' Adopted Resolution also observes "Underlines" that "the Global Coalition against Daesh (ISIS) and Syrian Partner Forces (i.e. mainly the Kurdish-led "Syrian Democratic Forces") have made Significant Progress in the Campaign to Defeat Daessh (ISIS) in Syria", recently (mainly on 2017+).

+++++++ Last, but not least, concerning also Turkey's vociforous Claims around Enforced Population Replacements in the Historically Kurdish areas of Syria, EU Parliament "Demands Respect by all for the Right of Ethnic and Religious Groups and Minorities in Syria, includig Christias and Anyone Displaced, to Continue to live in, or Return to their Historical and Traditional HomeLands in Dignity, Equality and Safety, ...withOut being subjected to any kind of Coercion, Violence or Discrimination", (Article 11).

In Parallel, as a matter of General Principle, (particularly Useful here, Given Turkey's notorious Record on Serious and Massive Human Rights Violations, Genocides, etc), EU Parliament Calls for "Accountability" for the "Atrocity Crimes committed in Syria", f.ex. via "Universal Jurisdiction in Tackling Impunity", by "making Grave Violations of International Law an Offence under National Laws", by "Creating a Syrian War Crimes Tribunal", and/or a "European Network" against "Persons Responsible for Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, and War Crimes", etc., (Article 10).

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+ The Move comes shortly after French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, replying to 2 MP's relevant Questions at the National Assembly in Paris, Critically observed that there is "Absolutely Not any Excuse for Turkish troops' actions Deep Inside Afrin's zone", so far Away from the Turkish-Syrian "Borders". (I.e., almost Adopting "Eurofora"s recent Publication's Similar Observation : See ...).

- The competent French Minister "Remind(ed) that the Fight Against ISIS is the 1st Reason for (France's) Engagement in the Middle East, and it's also a National Security Priority".

>>> "But, we are Concerned by the Fact that Turkey's action may Result into Weakening the Pressure itshelf, on ISIS' remainining assets in Syria, while (reducing them) is is the main Stake".

+ Moreover, "UN Security Council Resolution 2401, ... concerns a Humanitarian Truce, which is Imposed to All, including Afrin", etc, he observed clearly.

- Last, but not least, "we (France) Recognize the Essential Role that the Kurds played for the Liberation of (ISIS' former "Capital" City) Raqqa", concluded Le Drian, (who, according to the Polls, is the Most Popular French Minister among all)...

Interestingly, the French Foreign MInister's Criticism of Turkey's Military Invasion even at the Center of Syrian Kurdish Afrin canton's Heartland, was Published, inter alia, also by UN SC Permanent Member China's main Press Agency "Xinhua", etc.

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- The Turkish Government reportedly Replied by Claiming that "there is Nothing the European Parliament can tell us on this"...

- Turkish President Erdogan, reportedly also boasted that EU Parliament's "Statement will go in one Ear, and Out Other !" (sic)...

But that looks Wrong : In Fact, Both UNO's Security Council, and EU Parliament, as well as EU in general, (i.e. its Member States added, as France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Other 24 Countries), have Various and Many Ways to exert Strong Pressure on Turkey for the Implementation of relevant UN SC Resolutions, and/or International Law's basic Principles, (including in order to Respect the Sovereignity of Independent Countries, as also certain Key Arab Countries, well inserted in Larger Networks, have just Asked Ankara to do : See ...).

This includes a Wide Spectrum of Various possible Measures, ranging from Legal to Financial or Economic "Sanctions", up to Defence AId to the Syrian Kurds, if not outright Military Interventions, f.ex. by International Coalitions (as those Against Deadly Islamist Terrorists' Aggressions, Piracy, etc), and/or by imposing a "Non-Fly Zone" due to Protect People from being Killed by Unilateral AirStrikes and Bombardments, even from Foreign AirPlanes Illegaly Intruding Deep Inside anOther, Independent Country, and Brutally Trampling its Sovereignity Underfoot (Comp. Supra), etc.

=> - Inter alia, f.ex., it's also former French President, Francois Hollande, who has just, reportedly, Supported openly the idea of a "Non-Fly Zone" over Syria's Kurdish Canton of Afrin...

+ Moreover, this Strange (but also Tragic, because Deadly, including among a Growing Number of innocent Civilian People, notoriously Threatened also by Inhuman/Degrading Treatments by various Violent Islamist Extremists' Armed Gangs pushed by Turkey as its "Proxies", etc) Issue of Arfin, might Hold a Key :

- "Calling on Turkey to Withdraw its Troops (from Afrin) is a clear Support for Terrorist organizations" (sic !), Mr. Celik claimed, criticizing the "Decision the EU Parliament has taken" Today... (Comp. Supra).

* The Fact that Syria's Kurdish canton of Afrin is located in anOther, Independent Country, (where Damascus' Government has repeatedly Protested Officially for such a Blatant Violation of its Sovereignity), and, Most Important, that Afrin was, until now, the More "Peaceful" and "Stable" area of Syria, (as even USA's Defence Secretary Mattis has reportedly observed), where more than "360.000 Displaced People" (including Arabs, Alevi, Yazidi, Christians, Armenians, etc) had sought and found Refuge there for Years, (as International Humanitarian NGOs, "Wikipedia", and many others had noted), as well as that "Afrin NEVER Attacked Turkey", as various MEPs and French MPs have stressed (f.ex. also at the French National Assembly, earlier this Week, in Paris, etc), obviously leave Mr. Celik and all the Turkish Government, indifferent, (Comp. Supra).

But, just a Look at the Facts, starting by those showing the Way that the Turkish Deadly Military Invasion Evolved inside Afrin, (See relevant MAP, herewith), obviously Raise critical Questions :

- F.ex., Why Turkey's 1st Move inside Afrin's area, just AFTER, initially Extending its Military Occupation along a Thick Land Strip accross All the BORDERS, between Turkey and Syria, (as Ankara's Government had Claimed - to NATO, France, US, etc- that it would be its Unique Aim), Suddenly pushed its Army to penetrate even Far Away from the Turkish Borders, Inside Afrin, Until it Reached Alepo's area, (contolled by Damascus Government's Syrian Army), in a way which Cut Off IDLIB's adjacent Enclave and Separated it from Afrin ? (See MAP).

>>> IDLIB, (located also Near the Turkish Borders, close to the Mediterranean Sea), was, notoriously the Area from where almost all Armed Islamist Terrorist Attacks hd Started, (particularly those of "Al Queda"-like Gangs, but also "ISIS"' Precursors, etc), already as Early as since 2011-2012, (i.e. since the inFamous "Benghazi" Massacre of USA's Diplomats and other Agents, which still remains Ill-Elucidated, but also since the First illegal "Arms-Trafficking" Ship Transports bringing Weapons to various Violent Islamist Extremist Gangs, had Started). Later-on, and "mainly Recently, Idlib has also become a kind of "SnakePit" full of Failed former Islamist Terrorists and/or Other Violent Jihadists", who have Progressively Gathered there, (even Transported by Buses hired by Damascus' Syrian Government, etc), Whenever any Part of Syrian Land was Liberated by ISIS, Al-Queda, and/or Other Islamist Terrorists, etc., according to Systematic last-minute Deals, (f.ex. from Aleppo to Raqqa, Eastern Ghouta and/or Other Damascus' Suburbs, as even just a few Days ago, etc). So that, Nowadays, Idlib reportedly Hosts the Biggest Over-Concentration of various Islamist Extremists and Terrorists from All-over Syria, including more than +30.000 Armed Jihadists !

=> Therefore, After ISIS' Collapse from Raqqa to Deir-el-Zor, etc., it was, notoriously, around Idlib that the main Efforts of the Syrian Government and its Allies (Russia, Lebanese, Iranian Shiites, Popular Forces, etc) were Focused, as the Next Important Push for the Liberation of the Country from the Last Remains of Foreign and Local Armed Jihadists, ...just Before Turkey invaded Afrin.

>>> A simple Look at a Map is enough in order to realize that, in Fact, IDLIB was located, in relation to Afrin (at its Northen side), and Damascus' + Allied Forces, (at its Southern side), at the Beginning of 2018, almost as ... RAQQA had been during ISIS' "Caliphat", just before being Liberated by Kurds and the US-led International Coalition in 2017 !

Indeed, IF the Syrian Kurds of AFRIN (at the North-WEST) had the Time and the Will to Help Damascus' National Syrian Army and its Allies (Russia included, etc), to Free IDLIB from the Last important Islamist Extremists' Stronghold, notoriously Full of AL-QUEDA-like Jihadists, Many Foreigners,

- mutatis-mutandis, as the Other Syrian Kurds of KOBANE (at the North-EAST) had just done, by Helping the US-Led International Coalition to Free RAQQA + El Zohr from the Retreating ISIS' Terrorists, them too full of Foreigners -

=> then, most Probably, the Overall Syrian Conflict might have Become (Comparatively) much More Easy to Solve, (than what it is until now), with a Negotiated POLITICAL SOLUTION, at nearby Geneva and/or Elsewhere, as the Opposition to the current Regime in Damascus, would have been Liberated from Extremist Islamist Violent and Armed Thugs' Gangs, outright Terrorists ("ISIS" and/or "Al-QUEDA"-like), etc., (Most of them Notoriously Backed and/or Manipulated from various Foreign "Puppet-Masters"), Focusing mainly on Peaceful (even if Hard) Disagreements to Bridge,

(withOut more innocent Civilian People and Other Victims' Killed or Maimed Bodies atrociously Pilling up, among Destructions and various Brutal, Inhuman/Degrading Treatments, Horrible Threats, particularly by some uncontrolled, Monstruous "Jihadists" pictured in their own Videos Cowardly Sullying killed People's Corpses, and/or Trumpling Under Foot POWs or other Traped People, Committing War Crimes with Total Impunity)...

=> By Rushing, immediately, to (FIRST of all) Cover IDLIB's Snakepit from the Syrian Kurds of Afrin (Comp. Supra), and Afterwards Launching a Sly, Open Aggression, Deep Inside the Syrian Kurdish Canton's Central Heartland, against its Capital City, (where Hundreds of Thousands of Displaced Civilian People had recently seeked Refuge), even Cutting Water, Severing Electricity, Phone/Internat Communications for a Total Population or, reportedly, some 700.000 People living nowadays at Afrin, according to Mainstream Medias,

Turkey apparently seeked to Save the Real Terrorists, but Destroy one of the (Comparatively) Most Innocent and Peacefull Areas of nowadays Syria, in Total Disregard for EU's and UNO's Resolutions, as well as Basic International Law and Human Rights Values.

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- It's, obviously, No more a Border Security operation, But a fully-Fledged Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation, even a massive Population Replacement plan, as Maps clearly show Today for that Turkish Army's intrusion, leading various Islamist Jihadists, Deep inside Syria's Kurdish Canton of Afrin, but Deviating Far Away from the Syrian-Turkish Borders...

Astonishingly, such a Big Change, occurs at the Eve of Important EU Parliament and CoE Assembly's Sessions, this Week in Strasbourg and Paris, respectively, where, inter alia, it's also (if not mainly) this UnPrecedented series of Deadly Turkish Military Attacks and Intrusions inside Syria's Kurdish Canton of Afrin, which is due to be Discussed also in Public by MEPs, who, normally, should also Vote one or another kind of European and/or PanEuropean Measures, in order to Tackle such a Challenge.

Indeed, instead of Keeping its Foreign Troops all Along and Near the Borders, between Turkey and Syria, on the Contrary, Ankara's regime ordered a Massive Intrusion even inside Central Areas of Syrian Territoiries :

- After Completing an already Strange, Thick Horizontal Line establishing a Strip of Foreign Military Occupation All the Way between the Mediterranean Turkish Borders and Syria's Alepo City area, (controled by Damascus' Government Syrian Army), which also Separated the Northern Syrian Kurdish Canton of Afrin, from the Biggest OverConcentration of various Extremist Islamist Fondamentalistes and/or outright Terrorist, Armed Gangs of Idlib, at its South,

- Ankara suddenly Started to Attack the Center Core Area of Afrin's Canton, Dangerously approaching its Capital City : the Homonymous Afrin, Both from the North, and from the South, without giving a damn for all the Rest of that Canton of Syria's Kurds, (and, apparently, Forgetting all about its own Borders, from Now on, Located Far Away from the main scene of Action) !...

Curiously, this New Move, Contrasts with the Tactics followed until now by Turkey, which appeared to be a Thick but Limited Extension all Across its Borders towards Syria, (as if Ankara had Initially wished to Disguise its Real Intention, Pretending to Respect the Limits set, f.ex., during Erdogan's earlier Phone Exchanges with the US and, particularly, the French Presidents, Trump and Macron, probably also with others, during which a supposed basic Distinction had been reportrdly established, between a Border Security Operation, and a Foreign Military Invasion of an Independent Country.------------------------------------- + Moreover, once this Hypocritic "Mask" had, Obviously, just Fallen Down (Comp. Supra), Turkey added, even anOther "Strange" Move : Instead of Starting immediately to Attack the Syrian Kurdish Canton's Capital City Afrin, (that its Military had now Approached from 2 Sides : Comp. Supra), on the Contrary, the Invading Turkish Army, suddenly, Turned towards the East, in the Direction where Aleppo City is located, at a Nearby area Controlled Exclusively by Damascus' Government's Syrian Army, and Surrounded Afrin City Only from that Side, (Leaving its Other Side : towards the West, Intact and Free), obviously Attempting to Close Any Outward and/or Inward Transports' Communication possibilities of Afrin with the Rest of Syria, (See UPDATED MAP).

With a Spectacular Symbolism, the Invading Turkish troops Only Stopped their Manoeuvre to Surround Afrin City's Eastern Side, when they ArriveD, Face to Face, in front of the Historic Location of the Ancient Temple of Ain Dara, (believed to have served as a Prototype for King Solomon's World Famous Temple, Dated from the 9th Century BC. -See Infra- and whose Remaining Structure, around 3.000 Years Old, was notoriously Destroyed, turned into Rubbles, by Turkish AirStrikes earlier)...

The Only Road which still Remained "Open" for the Communication of Afrin's Inhabitants with the Rest of Syria, was, However, Blocked, Shortly Aftewards, punctual, Deadly AirStrikes Targetting 3 Villages which formed a Strategic Crossroads, in the Direction towards Freedom, (See that Same MAP cited Above).

Why, all that ?

Is it in order to, simply, Cutt off Afrin City, (and a Big Area Behind it, still Free), from any possible, Military and/or Humanitarian Aide from the outside World ? Or, also, in order to "Trap" all the Inhabitants of that Syrian Kurdish Enclave, so that they would Not be given any Chance to Escape, but, on the Contrary, Obliged to be Exposed to imminent Threats of an imminent Massacre, and/or Brutal Asservissment ?

At any case, one thing seems certain now : It all looks as if Turkey got (or Believes that it has got) a Sign, by someone, somewhere, that, in fact, even its Blatant, UnProvoked and Deadly Foreign Military Invasion, against an Exceptionaly Peaceful, until now, Syrian Kurdish Canton, as Afrin, might remain, perhaps, UnPunished by the European, PanEuropean and/or International Community... And/or, as if Ankara's regime found that, Both Europe and/or the World, would be totally Unable to ReAct Efficiently against such Brutal Crimes and Violations of International Law...

A dangerously irresponsible Spectacle, surprisingly given at the World WIde Web, by a Press Officer of the prestigious EU Parliament, at a particularly Crucial Moment for the Events and Choices concerning the Bloody Syrian Conflict, Friday Morning from Brussels, might have obviously served for at least to give a fatal Impression to Turkey that Europe might be totaly Indifferent, and Not Give a Damn for an Imminent Massacre and/or Asservissment of that same Syrian Kurdish Population, which had just Helped Syria, Iraq and the West, as well as Russia and many other Countries, to live, at last, Free from EveryDay Threats of ISIL's Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attacks, cowardly Targetting defenseless Innocent Civilian People, throughout almost All the European Continent, Russia included, but also in the US, and Elsewhere in the World, (as things notoriously were between 2015 - 2017, full of Bloody, InHuman Tragedies, popping up almost every week, in a way UnPrecedended in History)...

Indeed, speaking about the forthcoming EU Parliament's Public Debate and Vote on a Draft Resolution about "Syria", by its full Plenary Session, Next Week in Strasbourg, that Agent, curiously, did NOT even MENTION the Name of the Tragic Syrian Kurdish area and Population of "Afrin" ! She Only spoke, exclusively, for a Pocket of Violent Islamist Extremists' Armed Gangs, in a Suburb of Damascus, who still keep Hostages a number of Civilian People, Dangerously exposed to their provocative Shelling and/or Rockets' throwing against Inhabited areas of Syria's Capital City's center !... (I.e. she mentioned Only "Eastern Ghouta", withOut even citting Afrin's Canton, not even once, while People are notoriously being Killed there NowaDays by an "Intensified Offensive", (as UNO's Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, just noted himself) of a Deadly Foreign Military Invasion by the Turkish Military and its Extremist Jihadist Armed Gangs ! (See Infra)

------------------------------------------

>>> On the Contrary, UnExpectedly, a Strong, Explicit, and Immediate Reaction, emerged, this Same Week-End, paradoxically, from anOther, entirely Different Direction :

It's not just some anonymous Sources, cited by certain Mainstream Medias, about alleged NATO observers' Criticism for the Fact that Turkey acts Now very Differently from the so-called "Border Security" Aims that Ankara had Initially presented as a Pretext in Brussels...

=> The most Surprizing Event is that, just 1 Day Afterwards, on Saturday, 10 of March 2018, TURKEY WAS URGED, in Public, and by Writting, TO "RESPECT THE SOVEREIGNTY" OF ITS "NEIGHBOURS", (as, obviously, First of all, "Arab" Countries as Syria), BY the United ARAB Emirates' (UAE) State MINISTER for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash !

- Nowadays, "It's UnDeniable that Arab - Turkish relations are Not at their best.”, he Denounced, via Twitter, (as USA's President Don Trump notoriously uses also to do, on various "Burning" and Topical Political Issues).

>>> In particular, “Ankara ...Must ... Respect the Sovereignity of Arab States,” the Experienced UAE Minister Gargash, clearly stressed, at the Same Moment that Turkey's Military Intervention inside Syria was Revealing that, instead of seeking "Borders Stability", as it had Hypocritically claimed Before, it was, in Fact, brutally Invading another Country, (Comp. Supra).

- On the Contrary, "Ankara Must deal with its Neighbours Wisely", he pointed out.

- Because, Otherwise, "“The Arab World will Not be Run by its Neighbors", (as Turkey), "and its current Situation is Not Permanent", the UAE Mnister Warned Ankara.

Gargash has almost 700.000 Registered Followers just on his personal Twitter Account at the Internet, and his Tweet was, in Addition, immediately re-Published by several Medias, including in Arab, Turkish, and English, stirring a row.

- UAE's State and Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash was apparently Reacting to Turkish President Tayip Erdogan's Boast, Yesterday (Saturday), that Now, Turkish-led Army could Enter inside the Syrian Kurdish District Afrin's Capital City "at Any Moment", as he claimed.

- According to "GulfNews", by a Coincidence, he was "Speaking ...in Mersin", i.e. from where the Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Northern Part of Cyprus had Started, Back on 1974, and still Persists, provoking also Many "Missing" Persons, and a Massive Forced Displacement of 20% of the Population of the Island, who Continue to be Hindered to Return Back to their Family Homes and/or Access their Private Properties (Most illegaly Usurpated, mainly by Turkish Settlers Imported from Anatolia plateau) even 44 Years Later, provoking serious UnResolved Problems to European and International Organisations, as the EU, CoE, UNO, etc.

- The Turkish President used this occasion, (Paradoxically, at the Eve of an Important Meeting between Turkish and Russian Officials, Later-on...), in order to Launch a Call to NATO's Western Military Organisation to Follow, Turkey's Army Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Region of Afrin, (as several Armed Gangs of Jihadists already do, with Many Casualties among them) !

=> "“Hey NATO, where are you?” "Now I am making the Call : - <<Let’s Go to Syria. Why don’t you come ?>>", urged the Turkish President, as "GulfNews" reported, just Before Anwar Al-Gargash's Public Criticism, (Comp. Supra).

+ "GulfNews" also Added, at anOther Article, that "some may have underestimated the Kurds’ Determination to Defend Afrin", while, it's a Fact that "so many Major political and military Leaders of the Kurds are from Afrin, and Afrin, in the Kurdish Heart and mindset, is an inseparable part of Rojava, Syrian Kurdistan", as an "Analyst in Washington", USA, reportedly stressed, just 1 Day Earlier, (on Friday, 9 March 2018).

-------------------------------

>>> Meanwhile, UAE Minister Anwar Gargash, had Already provoked "Hot" Angry Reactions from Turks, also Recently, at the End of December 2017, when he had, Notoriously, Warned Turkey's Government that : - "The Arab World will Not be Led by ... Ankara !"

- Denouncing what he Named as a "GeoStrategic Competition", between several Arab Countries (such as, f.ex.; UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordany, Syria, Bahrain, Mavritania, etc), and Turkey's "Regional Ambitions", Gargash called "for Strenghened Arab Unity" against such Threats, Criticizing the Turkish vociferous Public Reactions as a "Sectarian ... approach" which "is Not Acceptable".

- Topically, the Occasion for that Earlier Row, had been given by Ankara regime's Harsh Reactions against the Criticism, by UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, of the Turkish President's "Ancestors", (i.e. the former Ottoman-Turk Empire), to have Plundered Islam's second Holiest City : Medina, when they Ruled it :

=> - "Did you know that in 1916, Turkish Fahreddin Pasha committed a Crime against the People of Medina, Stole their Properties, and put them on a Train en route to Damascus and Istanbul ? Also, the Turks Stole the handwritten Books in Mahmoudia Library and took them to Istanbul. This is the History of Erdoğan's Ancestors and What They Did to Muslim Arabs," readed another Tweet, "originally posted by an ordinary social media user, an Iraqi man living in Germany", and simply "Re-Tweeted by UAE's Foreign Minister Zayed al-Nahyan, reminded "Russia Today". (See Relevant PHOTOS from those Events).

Turkish President Erdogan reportedly "Responded to that claim with a Personal Attack", accordding to "RT", particularly by calling that UAE's Senior Official as "Impertinent" and "Spoiled" man, (sic !)...

* Medina is the Historic City from where Prophet Mohammed spread the original Islamic Religion, mainly throughout the Arab peninsula. He Lived there 10 Years, (between 622 and 632), and returned to Die, at an advanced Age, in Medina, on 632, where his Monument is located until Now.

- Almost a Thousand Years Later, around 1.517-1.518, Medina was Invaded and Occupied by the attacks of the Army of the Ottoman-Turk Empire.

On 1.804 the Saudi Arabs managed to Liberate Medina themselves from the Foreign, Ottoman-Turk Occupation.

But on 1.818 the Saudi Arab's 1st State was "Destroyed" by the Ottoman-Turk viceroy Ali Pasha.

Meanwhile, Significantly, ... Nobody among the "Sultans" of the Occupying Force, (the former Ottoman-Turk Empire), Ever Visited Medina and/or Mecca, during all this Time !

Finally, after the pan-Arab Revolt of 1916-1918 against the Ottoman-Turk Empire, and the Victory of the Allies against Nazism and Fascism at the End of the 1st World War, all the Arabia Peninsula was Liberated from any Turkish Occupation.

During 1 Century, No Turkish Military ever Returned in the liberated Arab Peninsula, (with the Only Exception of the re-Establishment of a Turkish Military Base in Qatar, recently on 2017).

--------------------------------ARAB CIVILISATION and its DESTRUCTION BY former OTTOMAN-TURK EMPIRE-----------------------------------

Arab Countries notoriously, already had some very Important Civilisations in Ancient History, BC., including those of the Egyptian Pharaons, of Assyrians and of Babylon, of Hannibal's Catharge, of Phynecians, (at nowadays Lebanon/Syria), side by side with the Jewish People, etc.

But the so-called, Wider "Arab Civilisation", reportedly Extends from around the 9th Century AC, until about the 16th Century, (i.e. during almost 7 Centuries).

Seizing an Opportunity given by the Division of Christian People between Eastern and Western Europe with the "Schism", Arabs ensured a regular Transport of valued Asian Products, (including from the "Silk Road", and/or via Ship Sea Transports until the Red Sea, etc), by Organizing an innovative (then) Network of Camel Transports throughout the Sahara Desert until Spain. They were Helped to succeed that, by using and/or developing several Practical Innovations, particularly on Earth Sciences and Technologies, (as : Astronomy, Agronomy, Water management, etc), mainly Inspired by a systematic Translation of Ancient Greek Civilisation's Texts, which had Started particularly in Baghdad from the 9th Century AC, (and notoriously Contributed also at Europe's "ReNaissance", by the way).

The Destruction of that Arab Civilisation Started, progressively, from the Mongol-Turkic Invasions since the 13th Century AC, and was Completed with the Invasions of the Ottoman-Turk Empire around the 16th Century AC, after which, almost All Arab Countries were Under Turkish Occupation for Many Centuries.

By Losing their Freedom for so Long, they inevitably Lost also their own Civilisation, being Exploited and Degraded, compared to their Glorious Histories, (both of various Ancient Civilisations BC, and of the Arab Civilisation AC : Comp. Supra). So that, Weakened, some of them facing also Brief Periods of Colonisation, they didn't re-Start to Surface but Only during the 19th Century, after various National Liberation Movements, with their Contradictions.

=> Thus, inter alia, f.ex., just Earlier this Year, on February 2018, a Street still Named after the Ottoman-Turk Sultan "Selim 1", In Cairo, Egypt, is due to Change it and Take a New Name, after a Decicion taken by the Governorat of Cairo to Consult the Inhabitants on their Future Preferences. Because Salim I had been a Sultan of the Othoman-Turk Empire, which was "the 1st Colonizer of modern Egypt", (as it was Reminded Nowadays also by the Media "Egypt Independent").

The Move was Triggered by a Recent Attempt, even of Nowadays Turkey, to Interfere and Meddle itself, with an Unilateral, Neo-Colonialist manner, against the Sovereign Agreements between Egypt and Cyprus for the Peaceful Exploration and Exploitation of Natural off-shore Energy Resources at the Sea in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of the two Neighbouring Countries. Ankara's Unilateral Move was Followed, during the Last Weeks of February 2018, even by anOther, this Time Open Threat of Military Violence by 5 Turkish WarShips against a European Drilling Ship from Italy which was Brutally Hindered to Peacefully Explore for Oil/Gas a part of EU Member Cyprus' EEZ, facing Israel, in Reaction to which, the latest EU Summit in Brussels, Warned that it may Cancel an EU - Turkey Top Meeting scheduled for Later this Month (March 2018) in Varna, Bulgaria, (See: ...).

+ But it''s also a Fact that the above-mentioned Ottoman-Turk Empire's Sultan Salim I, had also Invaded and Occupied even Mecca and Medina on 1517-1518...

This was Part of a Wider Series of Ottoman-Turkish Military Invasions and Occupations of Arab Countries in the Mediterranean between 1512-1520, (i.e. including Nowadays Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Palestinian Authority, Egypt and the Coasts of Algeria, etc, soon Followed also by Libya's Coasts, under anOther Ottoman-Turk Sultan).

Tunisia, (the Historic Fatherland of Hannibal's Carthagenian Civilisation, which had Dominated the Center of Mediterranean in Ancient Times), Resisted Longer than others.

And Morocco (the Land of Famous Ancient Greek Myth about its Mountain of "Atlas", as a Heroe safeguarding all the People of the World by Holding the Sky up to the Heavens), Despite several Ottoman-Turkish Attacks, it Resisted so Strontgly that it was NEVER Occupied by the Turks ! So that it's Unique to still Host, Nowadays, the Best Surviving, Touristic Sites of authentic Historic Arab Civilisation Monuments, (as well as of Tanger's Cosmopolitan local Society, etc).

- Algeria's Highlands and the Biggest Part of its Territory, at the inner Hinterlands, also managed to Escape from the Military Occupation of the Turks. By a Coincidence, those Areas which Escaped were almost the Same known for Historic personalities Famous for their Resistance in the Pas : As, f.ex., the Berber Leader Dahia Al-Kahina, Famous from the 7th Century, as well as Dhabba, the former Queen of Carthage in Tunisia, (etc), which Remind, Nowadays, the, also Famous Syrian Kurdish Young Women that Dared Risk their Lives in order to succesfully Fight Against the Deadly Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's Cowards who Target innocent Civilian People in Syria, before, Now, Facing also Bravely the current Turkish Military Invasion at Afrin...

Often by Sacrificing their Lives, and even being, sometimes, Atrociously Mutillated, their Dead Body Sullied by some Cowards Gangs of Jihadists armed by Turkey, as a notorious and widely commented Video Recently proved, (See, f.ex. : ...).

- By an Astonishing Coincidence, Now, on 2018, when the Syrian Kurdish Canton and its Capital City of Afrin, (which is also an Historic area, from more Ancient Times : See Infra), are Facing a Blatant Foreign Military Invasion by nowadays' Turkey, (Comp. Supra),

+ And, by another Coincidence, it's around the 400th Anniversary of Medina's Invasion by the Turks, i.e. from 1918-1919, that the International Peace Treaty of Sevres (in France) was Negotiated and Signed, marking the former Ottoman-Turk Empire's quasi-Total Collapse...

=> What might happen, just 1 Century Later, around the 500th Aniversary of Medina's Invasion by the Turks, Nowadays, on 2018, (i.e. at the Eve of the First Centenary, 100 Years Anniverary for Sevres' International Peace Treaty, on 2018-2019 - which also, Timely Coincides with the forthcoming, May 2019 European Elections) ?

In Fact, the Above-mentioned, Surprising Total Ommission even to simply Cite the Name of "Afrin"'s Syrian Kurdish Canton, curiously committed by an EU Press Agent in Brussels last Friday, when, speaking about the Draft Resolution on Syria, she didn't explicitly refer but Only to Damascus City's "Eastern Ghouta" urban pocket's clash, while, on the Contrary, it's, Astonishingly, an ... Arab Senior Official who Dared to be the 1st to openly Denounce Turkey's now Open and Blatant Military Invasion and Violation of a Independent Country's Sovereignity, (Comp. Supra), is Not an Isolated incident at all...

Indeed, Several Critics have already Denounced the Fact that, curiously, Most Establishment's Medias seem to Forget even Elementary Press Deontology, often abusing of "Double Standards", when it comes to Syria.

+ Even more Important : Most Establishment's Medias, Curiously "Forget" to even mention the Fact that there are certain Fundamental Differences between Afrin and Ghouta...

And there is a Long List of such Important Differences :

-----------------------------------------(1) FOREIGN MILITARY INVASION, or not ?-----------------------------------------------------

- In the 1st case, it's a Foreign Country, as Turkey, which commits a Military Invasion inside an Independent and Sovereign, Neighbouring Country : Syria, in blatant Violation of Intenational Law, and with Obvious Risks to provoke Crises, Conflicts and Instability accross that Sensitive Area, Both in the Short and/or the Long Term.

- While, on the Contrary, in the 2nd case, it's almost the Opposite : I.e. just a Bunch of Extremist Islamist Armed Gangs, (often accused to be Paid by some Foreign Countries and/or Networks), including some Al-Queda-like Terrorists, (Near, even, to an Adjacent ... "ISIL"'s, SImilar Block !), who have Intruded and taken by Arms Control of a Suburb of a Syrian City, which is, even, ... the Capital of the Country : Damascus itself, Penetrating almost until its Center (f.ex. the "Jawbar" Block, etc), DownTown (See locacious MAP, that, curiously, most Establissment's Medias Avoid to show) ! Which other Countries would have Alliowed such an unbelievable, outrageous and obviously very Dangerous thing to happen, even at the Center of their Capital City, and for so long ?

If the Turkish Government might Pretend that it would have so-called "Security" Excuses at Afrin, located Out of that Country, and Many Hundreds of Kilometers, Far Away from its Capital, Ankara, then, one can easily imagine what could claim, "a fortiori", the Syrian Government, concerning Armed Rebels and even several Terrorists confiscating eternally a Big Part of its Capital City's Center, (even Near an .. ISIS' Block) !

As about what would say and do Mr. Erdogan to anyone who might be so naive as to ask him to tolerate, mutatis-mutandis, an Equivalent situation inside Turkey's Capital, Ankara, f.ex., with a ..."PKK" included Block of Armed Rebels extending in the Center-City, and a "Gullenists" Opponents' Block, full of Armed Warrions paid from Abroad, nearby, with a Leftist "Block" of Marxist "Guerillos", side by side, added, also to another, special "Block" of the Capital's Center, full of Armed ..."Putchists" from the July 2016 strange, too Short-lived "Coup" Attempt, (Only ...6 Hours-long !), etc., everybody can certainly imagine what would be his (at least partly Justified) Reply...

+ Moreover, even the Magnitude of Victims, or the Total Population and Land affected, comparatively, in Damascus City part of Eastern Ghouta, and inside the much Bigger, Afrin Canton, are either Treated UnEqually, or even really Not the Same, but Very Different :

F.ex., most Establishment's Medias, Persist to "Bombard" the People with more and more unverified and/or uncertain Claims about Too Many (some say "1000", others "800", almost at the Same Time, or only 2 Days after they had claimed just the Half : "400" or "almost 500".. !) Civilian Victims in Islamist Jihadist/Al Queda-like Armed Gangs'-controlled "East Ghouta"... Cautious, UNO's Secretary General has Only spoken, now, about "many Hundreds" (UPDATED on 12 Marh).

While, on the Contrary, they are Ommitting scandalously to Publish about the Fast-Evolving Number of Civilian Victims at Afrin, or doing so Only Rarely, and/or by, comparatively, Diminishing the Numbers, speaking Rarely about "Displaced People" (apparently much More in Afrin), etc. ------------------------------

- But, inside the larger Canton of Afrin, just its (homonymous) Capital Afrin City, would have, Nowadays, at least "500.000" Inhabitants, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory on Human Rights, (SOHR), i.e. a much "Larger" Number.

+ In fact, All the Canton of Afrin, (i.e. with the Addition of several Other Cities and Many Villages too, which are Parts of that Total), already as Early as since a 2004 Census, (i.e. 14 Years Before), reportedly had more than 200.000 Inhabitants, to whom were Added, Since June 2016, "about 316.000 Displaced" People, so that Afrin Canton would have gathered More than 650.000 People, already as Early as on 2016.

=> So that, +2 "Hot" Years Later, on 2018, the Total Number of Afrin Canton's Inhabitants should have Grown, Today, up to around ..."1 Million" People, (as at least 3 Mainstream Newspapers observe, Nowadays).

>>> I.e. X 2,5 times More than what eastern Ghouta used to have in the Past, (Before the latter lost 60% of its Initial area, on 2018), the Population of Afrin Canton becoming Now at least ... 250 % Bigger than that of eastern Ghouta's pocket (inside Damascus City) :

- Less than 400.000 (in the Past), for Ghouta's pocket, Compared to More than 1.000.000 People Now, for Afrin's Canton.---

++ The Difference becomes Huge, when one Compares also the concerned Territories :

- Indeed, some Establishment Medias' Attempts to Present as Equals these 2 so Different in Magnitude cases, become almost ...Comic, when they are Examined closer with a Critical eye :

F.ex., "Die Welt" Newspaper, recently Published a Graphic presenting Maps of Damascus' eastern Ghouta Suburb, and of Afrin Canton, placed Side by Side, in 2 squares of ...Identical Size !

But, if Readers looked better at that Picture, with a Critical Eye, then, they could easily Realize that, in Fact, instead of being Equal, or even comparable, on the Contrary, these 2 Territories were So Different, that they could Not even be Compared at all :

- Indeed, the Reality represented in one of those two Squares, (that which pictured the Canton of Afrin), is ... FIVE TIMES (i.e. 500 %) BIGGER than than the Other, (Damascus' Suburb of Eastern Ghouta) ! Thus, in the 1st of these 2 Maps published by "Die Welt", (that which Pictures Afrin), a Line referring to Real Distances, reveals that it represents "25 km", while, on the Contrary, in the 2nd Map, published at its Side, (picturing East Ghouta Suburb), that Same Line (Comp. Supra) represents, in Fact), ...Only "5 Km" !

I.e. it's as if someone seeked to Compare a Huge Elephant with a ...Baby Squarrel : However, nobody must Forget that in Fact, ... Both might be "Sympa", but Only 1 can Transport You !

-------------------------------(3) EFFECTS ON SYRIAN KURDS' HELP TO FIGHT ISIS' TERROR---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=> Even USA's mainstream Newspaper "Wall Street Journal" recently Denounced the Fact that the Turkish Mlitary Invasion at Afrin has just Provoked a Massive Departure of Many Syrian Kurdish and Arab soldiers of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) from the Front-line BatterFields against the Deadly ISIL's Islamist Terrorists who cowardly Target even Civilian People, (such as Raqqa and El-Zhor : See MAP) leaving behind them "a VOID".

USA's Pentagon, White House and State Department had already Warned against a Risk for Turkey's controversial Attacks against Syria's Kurdish Region, to "DISTRACT" Efforts to Defeat the Deadly Islamist Terrorism of ISIS, which has notoriously Targetted and Killed Many innocent Civilian People throughout Europe, even USA, etc.

And, Indeed, Afterwards, a "PAUSE" has been already Provoked, at least "on the Ground", by Turkey's Military Invasion in Syria's Kurdish Region, concerning the US-led International Coalition against ISIS.. And American Government sources don't see yet how this could be overcome in the present circumstances, according to converging reports.

+ Shortly Afterwards, several other Medias reported that, indeed, after a Long Time, ISIL's Armed Jihadists, (who Remain Present, particularly in Large Areas Near the Syrian-Iraqi Borders, but even close to Damascus, etc), have Just Launched an Attack against an Oil-Field at Neighbouring Iraq, followed also by anOther Attack from Syria towards Iraq, whih was repelled with a Fight, (etc). The UK Media "Independent" reports also for at least 2 Other Recent ISIL's Attacks, one in Syria and another in Iraq, each having killed a Dozen of People, in Addition to a Car full of Explosives, etc. In the Meantime, ISIL's Leaders, including El Baghdadi himshelf, still Escape Arrest, Hidden somewhere, Despite a CoE Assembly's Resolution, voted in Strasbourg on January 2018, asking to Search, Find and Punish the main Instigators of at least the Worst Atrocities committed in the Past by ISIL's Coward Extremist Islamist Terrorists Targetting innocent Civilian People.

New USA President Don Trump has notoriously Boasted at his 1st "State of the Union" Speech in the US Congress at the Beginning of 2018 that his Best Achievements in one Year were, in Addition to Starting an Economic Amelioration, also the Fact that ISIL's Terrorists had Lost almost All their Territorial Conquests. And he Recently Vowed to, Finally, "Get Rid of ISIL in Syria, and (then) Get Back Home !"

But some local observers at North-Eastern Syria, reportedly remind, at least, that ISIL's Worst "Security" Agents had been always circulating, even inside Raqqa, by Hidding their Faces with Masks, so that "Nobody Knows" yet, "Who they were". While, almost at the Same Moment, other reports from Afrin, claim that, at least some among the Various Islamists Jihadist Armed Gangs used Now by Turkey during its Military Invasion of that Syrian Kurdish area, would have been Recruited also among former ISIL's Terrorists, who have been "Re-Trained" by the Turks for that purpose.

Several Videos currently circulating at the Internet, (some even "checked" by the London-Based NGO "Syrian Observatory on Human Rights"), show, meanwhile, during the still on-going Turkey-led Military Invasion, several Atrocities and/or Dangerous Threats : Including, f.ex., Mutillations of Killed Kurdish Women's Body, Cowardly Sullied by Armed Islamist Extremists' Gangs ; or POWS being Questioned by Turkish Soldiers and, shortly Afterwards, Brutally thrown Down and Cowardly Killed by accompagnying Islamist Extremist Gangs ; Civilian Elders being Investigated by Armed Gangs about ... How Many Prayers they do to Allah each Day, (a Method already used by ISIL's Deadly Terrorists since 2014, in order to chose f.ex. Yazidis that they were going to Jail, Enslave and/or Kill afterwards, as SOHR's Director reminded); an Armed Thug taking ..."Shelfies" with the atrociously Calcinated cadaver of a Victim of the Turkish Military Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Afrin area; Islamist Armed Gangs to Brutaly Hit POWs and Excibit their Victims in front of Video-Cameras, and/or Trample underFoot their Heads, Thrown at the Ground, even ...Threaten Civilian People with atrocious ...BeHeadings, if they do not Convert "to Allah", (etc)...

- Indeed, various converging Observers, including Mainstream Medias, have Recently Started to Wonder, and Raise Questions, about What might Happen to All those Syrian Kurdish and/or Pro-Damascus' Government Militants, POWs, as well as simple Civilian People, often Captured and Taken Away by the Invading Foreign Turkish Military and/or by various Armed Islamist Extremist Gangs, (as Many Videos and Photos attest), withOut Knowing yet where they might be Detained, and What might Happen to them ?

+ AnOther Big Difference, (including from a Human Rights' point of view), which became more and more Visible these Last Days, is also the Fact that the Islamist Jihadists' Armed Gangs who have Seized Control of some Urban Pockets such as "Eastern Ghouta" inside Damascus City, have Already Declared, (f.ex. to "El Jazeera" Media, Headquartered at Qatar, etc), that they Strive and "Press" to Keep All their Militants and even the Civilian Population under their control, Away from Fleeing the Conflict by Going Elsewhere, and that they Seek to Convince All of them to Stay where they are, (Regardless of the Risks from the on-going Violent Clashes, InFights, AirStrikes, Bombings, Artillery Shellings, Attacks, Kidnappings, and/or Harsh DePrivations, etc), f.ex., "until this (f.ex. Assad's) Regime Falls Down !", (etc)...

And, indeed, Syrian and Russian Authorities have Recently Denounced, f.ex., the Fact that, even when they Opened a Corridor for Humanitarian Evacuation of Civilian People from Eastern Ghouta's pocket, vainly Waiting for People to Escape the Clashes during a Regular, 5 Hours-Long, Everyday Cease-Fire, Nevertheless, several Armed Gangs of Islamist Jihadists Hinderd Civilians to get out, even by Firing Gunshots, Artillery Shellings, Rockets, etc., almost "Every 30 Minutes" accross such Humanitarian Corridors...

On the Contrary, the Turkey-led Military Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Afrin Canton, Despite its Initial Claims that it would be only a so called : "Border Security" Operation, Nevertheless, Afterwards, they obviously Send their Troops to Attack even inside the Canton's Central Heartland, towards its Homonumous Capital Afrin City, Far Away from the Turkish/Syrian Borders (See MAP), and even Hurried up to ... Cut Off all Roads Leading Out of that Canton, towards Damascus Government-controlled areas, near Aleppo, except from only One Road, which was, Finally, Heavily "Bombed" by Turkish AirStrikes , reportedly making several Civilian "Casualties", (see relevant MAP, based on "SCWM" Data).

------------------------------ + (UPDATED) In Addition, these Days, while the Syrian Government and its Russian Allies are repeatedly Opening Humanitarian Corridors for Civilian People from East Ghouta Suburb, (some of whom have just Started to Escape from the Armed Islamist Extremists-held Pocket, there and elsewhere),

on the Contrary, the Turkish Military Invasion has reportedly Blocked even the Latest Free Road for Syrian Kurdish and other People from Afrin Canton's Enclave, (as even London-based SOHR confirmed), just after Targetting, earlier, a strategic crossoads by Deadly AIrStrikes affecting Civilian Victims. (See MAP).

+ While the Syrian Kurdish Canton of Afrin, (nowadays with a Population of a Million, Refugees included), did Never get more than Only a(n undetermined) Share of just One (1) "HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE" convoy, provided "for 50.000 People" in Total, Also to anOther area near "Aleppo", contolled by the Syrian Army, as UN SG noted,

on the Contrary, there are Three (3) "Humanitarian Convoy(s)" which already Arrived at Armed Islamist Gangs - controlled Areas, such as "Dar el-Kabirah at Northern Homs", with "Assistance to 33.500 People ; "Douma in eastern Ghouta"'s Suburb, "for 27.500 People", and Again "to Douma" Later-on, while even a ...4rth Humanitarian "Convoy Ready ... to proceed", ("in the coming Days"), also "to Douma".

I.e., almost a Ratio of 1 to 3 Convoys, respectively : "On 1st March" for one side, and "on 4 March", "5 March", "9 March", (soon to be Followed by even a 4rth, "Ready" to go on 12 March - UPDATED), for the other side.

Indeed, a 2nd "Relief Convoy to Afrin", for which "the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has announced its Intention" to organize, (as UNO's Secretary General noted), did Not yet became possible, because of "Security Conditions" (during the still on-going Turkish Foreign Military Invasion). -------------------------

+ While the Syrian Government and its Russian Allies (already since Last Month : on February 2018) have Declared an "Unilateral CEASE FIRE" for a Regular "Pause", EveryDay, during 5 continuing Hours, defined in a Clear and Stable Way for All Mornings, on "Humanitarian" grounds, for the Suburb of East Goutha inside Damascus, Held by Armed Gangs of various Violent Islamist Extremists, (including some officially declared Al-Queda like Terrorists at UN list, until nowadays),

on the Contrary, the Turkey-led Armed Forces which are Now Invading Syria's Afrin Kurdish Canton, have Not yet anounced Any "Pause" at all, (i.e. totally Violating the latest UN SC Resolution on Syria) !-----------------------------------------------

Last, but not least, while the Syrian Kurdish Canton of Afrin has, notoriously lived Peacefully, and Never Launched ATTACKS inside Turkey, Before the Turkish Miltary Invasion, (with Rare Exceptions, as, f.ex., that of 1 Rocket against a Military Base, after the Turkish Army's Invasion had Started, without known casualty, etc),

on the Contrary, the Armed Islamist Extremist Gangs holed in Eastern Ghouta pocket of Syria's Capital City Damascus, have Often Targetted Inhabited Areas of Damascus, "Killing Dozens" and Wounding "close to a Hundred" of Civilian People, as UN SG Guterres observed, (reportedly making, f.ex., 3 Dead and 32 Wounded with such Bombings this Weekend, etc).

Significantly, UNO's Secretary General's latest Report to UN Security Council in New York, notes "Civilian" Casualties from "Shelling from Eastern Ghouta to Damascus", but NOT at all from Afrin to Turkey. (UPDATED).

Already since February 2018, UNSG' Special Envoy for Syria, de Mistura, speaking to UNO's Securiy Council at New York, had Denounced the Fact that "we have reports of Heavy mortar Shelling falling even across Residential Damascus, Wounding and Killing Civilians, and Damaging Infrastructure, Embassies, and even close to the Hotel where the UN is".

-----------------------------------------

+ Despite that, Recently, for the First Time, 3 to 4 Political "MEETINGS" between the Syrian Government and at least one among the Armed Gangs of Islamist Jihadists holed in Eastern Ghouta's fortified pocket, started to take place, on 8, 10, 11 and 12 March 2018, mainly about CeaseFire and Humanitarian Issues, after persisting Diplomatic Pressure on Damascus and Russia by the UN Secretariat, as its Chief, Antonio Guterres has just revealed, (UPDATED).

It seems that this might have facilitated the Departure of at least some among the Al-Quaida like Islamist Terrorists (inscribed in UN List of Terror); a Supplementary Cease-Fire by the Syrian Government, arranged with the Armed Jihadists of one among the Groups : "Jaish al Islam", (Helping to conclude an Humanitiarian Aid Convoy, earlier partially interrupted), etc.

But, until now, Nothing Similar did not happen, concerning the Syrian Kurdish and Arab Forces defending Afrin Canton vis a vis the Turkish-led Military Invading forces from Abroad : No Meeting, No Cease-Fire, Not Any Humanitarian Deal between them...

The Office of UN Envoy de Mistura Received several relevant "Letters" by "3 Armed Groups" of Islamist Jihadists holed "in eastern Ghouta", proposing to "Negotiate", "Opened Channels with All" of them, "inside and outside of the enclave", and even, once, had expressed an "Intention to Invite" those "Armed ... Groups" to a "Meeting with Russia in Geneva" (sic !), But Nothing Equivalent did Not occure yet for the Syrian Kurds and Arabs Defending their notoriously Peaceful Afrin Canton from the Deadly Turkey-led Military Invasion from Abroad... Despite several, even Written Appeals to the UN and others, f.ex., from the Elected local Leadership of Afrin, Headed by a Syrian Alevi Kurdish Woman, Hevi Ibrahim, to Help Implement the latest UN SC Resolution 2401 which clearly Calls for "immediate Cease Fire" throughout "All" Syria, etc.

- Why ?

Could it be, perhaps, Only because those Desperate Appeals (including even by the Government of Syria itself) to Help Implement International Law and the UN SC Resolutions by Turkey too, were Not "Conveyed" to UN Secretariat "from the Syrian National Council", i.e. a Controversial and Shaky Body established at Istanbul and Backed mainly by Turkey), notoriously linked with the "Muslim Brotherhood", and criticized for allegedly keeping "a heavy Islamist Agenda", as well as to have Often served as Intermediary for Money send by Foreign Sponsors to various Islamist Armed Gangs Violently Attacking the Syrian pro-Government Authorities, in order to Buy Weapons ?

But, in that case, isn't there an obvious "Conflict of Interests", and/or a Blatant Contradiction with UNO's official Mission to Help Peace and basic Humanitarian Values ?

--------------------------------------------------------------------

+ Nowadays, after various Witnesses' Reports, UNO's Secretary General just Denounced also "numerous... Damages to Infrastructure", (that various other Converging Sources, described as including even "WATER Cuts", "ELECTRICITY Cuts", "Mobile PHONES Network damaged", and "INTERNET severed") by various "Destructions fromTurkish (Invasion) AirStrikes" and/or Shelling against Afrin City these Days, where others added now also "FOOD Shortage", after latest Turkish Army Manoeuvres to progressively Surround Afrin from all sides. (UPDATED)

ISIL and Other Islamist Terrorists had Already attacked Damascus' Drinking Water System in the near Past, (according to several International Press reports), Obliging the Syrian Government to Send its Army at Nearby Mountains in order to re-establish an elementary Helthy Drinking Water for all.

These can be, obviously, Attempts to Provoke, in Addition to Massive Human Sufferings, also, particularly, a Massive Displacement of Big Numbers of Population, (often with the Aim to "Replace" the Genuine People with Deep Roots in a revendicated Area, as Turkey has notoriously, already Vowed to do in Afrin's Canton, as it has also done Elsewhere, on Many Occasions in the Past : F.ex. against Armenians, Greeks, Kurds (of Turkey), Greek Cypriots, etc. (See also Infra).

+ [A special, Tragic, case, is that of alleged "deliberate" or indiscriminate Attacks against HOSPITALS, naturally Horrible, (where Both Sides have been Accused in the Past, in this and other Conflicts, including several allegations about certain Syrian Bombardments previously, etc), which, However, do Not concern so much Attempts to provoke Massive Displacements of Poipulations, but rather Focused Crimes as such.]

Afrin's Canton (or Efrin in Kurdish) seems to have Ancient Historic Roots with a strong Symbolism, particularly Important at the Present Times, apparently full of Threats for "Forced Population Replacement" by the curren Turkish Military Invasion (See Infra) :

[Obviously, it's very Difficult, if not Totaly Impossible, to make Similar Claims only for a Block of Urban Buildings, seized and traped, in recent years, by one or another Violent Extremist Islamist Armed Gangs]...

-------------------------F.ex., in Addition to being Located near Kyrros' Ancient City's Theater, at its North, and having served as a Roman Army Base facing nowadays Turkey, Becoming, already as Early as since the 4rth Century AC a Christian Community with a Bishop of its own, (while it also Hosts a notable Yazidi Minority even Nowadays),

+ Concerning Hard Stone Monuments, Afrin is even More Equiped : F.ex. the Ancient Temple of "Ain Dara", which was almost entirely Destroyed by Turkish Airplane Bombings from the Beginning of this Foreign Military Invasion, was Classified by "UNESCO", and considered as More Ancient than - and a Prototype for- the World Famous "Solomon's Temple", (as Described in Jewish Bible, etc).

In Addition, another Historic Monument : the "Afrin Stele", reportedly refers to the Ancient God "Teshub" or "Tarhunzas", (as it's actually Written on that Stele), considered to be a "God of Sky and Strorms" (i.e. Weather), who, (according to the Mythology of the Ancient Civilisation of "Hittites", developped at Anatolia Plateau's Centre until Northern Syria, between -1.300 and -600 BC), had Succeeded to Slain a Giant Dragon... , as another Monument reminds, (See PHOTO).

What a Symbol, particularly for the current "David versus Goliath" situation, between Syrian Kurds and the Turkish Military Invasion !...

[+UPDATED] And, is it a Total "Coincidence", that the Turkey-led Military Invasion's advance seems currently to Avoid the Historic "Ain Dara" Temple (Comp. Supra), since it's the Only Route Now left "Free" for Civilian People Fleeing from the Roads towards the Damascus' Government-controlled adjacent Area, while, on the Contrary, All Other available Routes have been already Occupied by the Turkish Armed Invasion ?

Indeed, Ankara's Military moves seem to have, at least for the Time being, attempted to Surround, not Afrin City itself, but, rather, all Roads Allowing People to Escape, (as annotated MAPs clearly show). [+UPDATED)

----------------------------------------------------

Ancient History suddenly Becomes Now a Topical Issue, since the Turkish Government is suspected to aim at Imposing a Massive "Population Remplacement", by UnRooting Hundreds of Thousands of Syrian Kurds, from their Family Homes and Ancestral Land, in order to "Replace" them by Mobs of Strangers chosen, manipulated and controlled by Ankara's Foreign Regime, due to be Massively "Imported" from Turkey, mostly with a Heavy "Islamist" Fundamentalist, often even Extremist profile and Agenda, by Brutal Force, and by usurpating the Family Homes and the Ancestral Land of Afrin's original, autochton Population.

--------------------------------------------

And Here, at Afrin's "Kurdish Mountains", the presence of Kurdish People is reported at least SInce the Ancient Times of Alexander the Great's (-3rd Century B.C.) "Epigones" (successors), particularly Seleucus, according also to French a.o. Scientists cited by "Wikipedia", etc. Some go even Earlier, since Ancient Greek Historian Xenophon's times (-5th Centry AC), who describes an Homonymous People, living at nearby Mountains, on whom Other Historians add that their Descendants worshiped the Hittite God Teshub, (during the BC era), to whom is dedicated the "Afrin Stele" (Comp. Supra). Some Jewish, early Islamic, but also Modern sources Link the early Kurds even with the King Solomon, around the -9th Century BC, while the "Ain Dara" Temple in Afrin, (destroyed nowadays by the Turkish Invasion on 2018), is considered Older and a Prototype for Solomon's Temple.

While, on the Contrary, the appearance of Turks in Anatolia's plateau, is reported Only After the Desastrous "Mongol-Tukic Invasion" Starting from the 13th Century A.C., (i.e. more than + 2 Thousand Years AFTER the Kurds !), with "Othoman-Turks" Beginning to Surface surfacing only Since the 15th Century AC, and Turkey itself, having Less than ...Only One (1) small Century of shaky and troubled existence (1923 - 2018) 94-95 years only...

------------------------------------

Thus, it's a Surprizing Irony of the Sort, that when Afrin's Kurdish People were Nowadays Forced, by Turkey's Foreign Invasion and Occupation, to Try to Flee, the Only Road Left was via a 3.000 Years Old Temple, of Ain-Dara, recently Destroyed by Turkish Military Invasion's Air Bombings

+ As well as, anOther Timely Symbolic Coincidence, concisting to the Fact that an Ancient God referred to an Historic "Afrin Stele", is the Hittite Civilisation's God "TarHunz", alias "Teshub"), who is Often Pictured on a ...Bull, and also Related by Scientists to the Ancient Greek God "Zeus", notorious also for the World Famous Mythos of ... "Europe" :

- I.e. a Young Woman Deity, that God Zeus kidnaped at Nearby Ancient Phenicia (Nowadays ... Syria !), Disguised as a Bull with Wings, who took her on his Back (as "Teshub" or "Tarhuz" : Comp. Supra), flew over the Mediterranean Sea, and Brought her to our Continent, which got her Name...

A well known Ancient Mythos, which is, Nowadays, Reminded by a Modern Statute of a ...Huge, "Sacred" Bull, allegedly transporting the Young "Europa" on his Back, that a Group of MEPs (led by Long-Time former Minister of Economy, Kostis Hatzidakis from Crete, a mainstream ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP, active also in the Youth Movement, as EU Parliament's current Secretary General, Klaus Welle), has Installed, (after an Official Ceremony, where "Eurofora"s co-Founder was Invited), right in front of ... EU Parliament's Building, at Schuman Street, in Strasbourg !

I.e., there where an EU Resolution on Syria events (naturally including Afrin's Deadly Invasion by Turkey a.o.) is scheduled to be Debated (on Tuesday) and Voted (on Thursday) next Week...

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Shortly before Important CoE's PanEuropean Political Meetings in Paris, where Syria, including the Turkish Military Invasion at its Kurdish Region of Afrin, is due to be discussed, (See: ....), UN Security Council's Unanimous recent Resolution for a Cease-Fire in that Country is Repeatedly Violated by Turkey's Military Invasion, which is more and more Violently Aggressing, Occupying, Bombing, Selling and Killing both pro-Syrian Government Forces and Kurds at the Region of Afrin, despite several Top Political Calls (including by France and the UN) to Respect International Law, (See Infra).

---------------------------------

- The Unanimously Adopted UN SC Resolution, of 24 February 2018, "reaffirms" a "Strong Commitment to the Sovereignity, Independence, Unity and Territorial Integrity of Syria", "recalls the Legal Obligations ... to Cease all Attacks against Civilians", and clearly "Demands that All parties Cease Hostilities, withOut Delay", "for at least 30 consecutive Days, Throughout Syria" (1st Article).

+ UN SC Resolution also asks for "Negotiations" between the "Parties" involved in the Syrian Conflicts, and this Includes practically Anyone with the Sole Exception of ISIL, Al-Queda and other Terrorist Organisations officially Declared by the UNO as such.

I.e. something which Excludes an important Part of Eastern Ghouta's various (even Foreign) Jihadists, but, on the Contrary, should, normaly, Include Syrian Kurds of YPD/SDF, as those who Face Turkish Attacks in Afrin's area, and notoriously are the Best Allies of the USA-led International Coalition against ISIL's Deadly Islamist Terrorists cowardly Targetting Civilian People.

But Turkey still persists to Refuse any Peaceful Negotiation with the Syrian Kurds, who did Not Attack Turkey, but, on the Contrary, Helped to Fight against ISIS' Horrible Terrorism. And Now, Ankara also Refused, de facto, any Negotiation even with the Syrian Government on Afrin, Despite crystal-clear Condemnations, by Damascus, of the Turkish Military Invasion still going on inside Syria, blatantly Violating its Sovereignity, Territorial Integrity, and International Law.

On the Contrary, the Turkish Military has even Started to Target pro-Syrian Goverment Forces, as reveals also the latest WarPlane Bombings of a former Russian Base in Afrin, where it has just Killed about 40 Persons after more than 5 Hours of Deadly Aerial Attacks, (See Infra).

- Already while UNO's Top Political Body was discussing Cease Fire in Syria at New York, during February 24, the Turkish Military Invades and Occupies 2 Syrian Kurdish Villages at Afrin Region : Hecilere and Abu Kab, adding even Deadly Air Strikes which killed Syrian Pro-Government Fighters in Raju's area.

Such an Exceptionaly Big Push for Violent Army Attacks and extended Military Invasion and Occupation of 7 More Villages in just 2 Days, as that of Turkish Military inside the Syrian Kurdish Region of Afrin; was Not Observed at Any Other Area of Syria, by Anybody Else then, as, f.ex., a relevant, Chronological MAP of the Syrian Conflict clearly revealed, (See, f.ex., relevant Screenshot of the "SyrianCivilWarMap"'s Data, taken by "Eurofora" then).

----------------------

>>> So that French President, Emmanuel Macron, was obliged, on February 26, to call Turkish President Tayip Erdogan by Phone, in order to "underline that UNO's Security Council decided, as a matter of Absolute Necessity, to Cease Fire", and that this "must be, Immediately and Fully, Respected, in order to put a Stop to Indiscriminate Bombing", as an Official Press Communiqué of Elysée Palace, stressed that Day.

+ Macron also "stressed", speaking to Erdogan, that "the Humanitarian Truce applied throughout All the Territory of Syria, INCLUDING AFRIN" Kurdish region, as the French Presidential Palace made it Clear.

-------------------------------------------------------------

=> But the Only "Reply" is, in Fact, Later that Same Day : February 26, for Ankara's Troops to Attack and Add +2 More Syrian Kurdish Villages of Afrin Region under Turkish Military Occupation : Anqalah and Sinnarch... While, on February 28, the Turkish Army launches an Attack against Badinli Village, which is, reportedly, "repelled" by the Syrian Kurds at the last minute.

+ Moreover, in Parallel, Turkish-Backed Islamist Armed Gangs, such as "Jabhat Tahrir Souriya (Ahrar al-Sham and Nour al-Din al-Zinki)", apparently coming from Nearby Idlib Region, (the Notorious "Snake-Pit" of Islamist Extremists and Al-Queda-like Terrorists, over-Concentrated near Turkey's Borders, since the Beginning of the Syrian Conflict, and even More After ISIL's Brutal Jihadists were Recently Defeated almost Everywhere Else throughout Syria), reportedly "Captured" the Kurdish Villages of Qah and Darat, (which had Already been Occupied, Earlier, by the Turkish Army, all along the Borderline between Idlib and Afrin Regions)...

Ankara's Military which currently Invades and Occupies the Syrian Region of Afrin, is, indeed, notoriously escorted by various Islamist Armed Gangs, (that Turkey and its Cronies call "Rebels"), while Turkish President Erdogan has, reportedly, already Declared his Intention to, in Fact, Replace the original, Ancestral Kurdish Inhabitants of such Regions, around the Syrian-Turkish Borders, by anOther, Different kind of Population, chosen by Turkey, (i.e. a kind of "War Crime", f.ex. according to the Statute of the International Criminal Court).

=> Indeed, as it was earlier Denounced by the Top-Selling, Mainstream French Newspaper "Figaro" : - At this "Bataille of Akrin", in Fact, "Erdogan is Setting up (Islamist) Jihadist Sanctuaries, accross his doorsteps" :

- "The beginning of the End for (ISIL Terrorists' Chief) El Bagdadi's Troops, ... Reveals, to the World, the Hypocritical Game of the Turkish Army:" Indeed, "Since the (ISIL's) Caliphate collapsed", Turkey has again returned Back to its Worse Policies : After having Occupied Jarabulus and Al Bab (at the adjacent Kurdish Regions of Syria, near the Turkish Borders), it's, Now, for the Kurdish area of Afrin to Suffer by a kind of (Military) Siege: The Turks attack the Syrian Kurds with the Help of Jihadists Katibas, sometimes Called "Moderate Rebels" (sic !) or "Free Syrian Army"... I.e., "as if Erdogan wanted to become a Caliphe, at the place of (other) Caliphes"...

- Because, "these Milicias reveal the profoundly Destablizing role of the Turkish Diplomacy in that Area, particularly at (Nearby) Idlib" : "Under the Disguise (Pretext) of ensuring a Borderline Free of Any Kurdish presence", in fact, "Ankara has Set up Jihadist Sanctuaries at its own Doorsteps", Top French Newspaper "Figaro" Denounced meanwhile.

----------------

UNO's CeaseFire seems to be Respected in All Other Areas of Syria, except from the Kurdish Region of Afrin and (at a lesser degree) Eastern Ghouta, a Part of Damascus' Capital City, (where Russians observe Regularly a Curfew during at least 5 Hours Each Day, and establish Humanitarian Corridors - Rejected and even Attacked by Islamist Jihadists).

But, while Eastern Ghouta's Jihadists (including Al Queda-like Gangs) are obviously enDangering the Capital City of Syria, near Damascus' Center, (See MAP), particularly with Shelling, as also these Last Days when at least 17 Civilian People were Hit, (in addition to Rockets against the Russian Embassy),

on the Contrary, Turkey has Failed to prove in what way Syria's most Peaceful Area, (as USA's Defence Secretary, Mattis, has Recently ReMinded) : that of the Borderline Kurdish Region of Afrin might, perhaps, endanger the Turkish Capital City, Ankara, which notoriously is located Far Away, at a big Distance of Hundreds of kms...

And, at any case, obviously, for any Country, Protecting its own Capital City, is Not at all the Same as Invading anOther, Foreign Country.

-------------------

=> In Consequence, to French President MACRON's above-mentioned Call upon Turkish President Erdogan, on February 26, against extending even further Ankara's Military Invasion in Syria's Kurdish Region of Afrin, (Comp. Supra), is Added, soon Afterwards, on February 28, even UNO's Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey FELTMAN's (USA) Official Statements to the UN Securiy Council in New York, who Strongly Criticized the fact that even that "Brief Respite that (UNO's SC) Unanimously Demanded, only Days Ago, in Resolution 2401, has Not Materialized" everywhere in Syria, since, at least in certain areas, "The AirStrikes, shelling, and ground offensives continue" : "We (UNO) Need Implementation", But "that is Not Happening", as he Denounced.

=> But, Nevertheless, "Violence Continues in AFRIN", (that UNSG significantly Chose to Cite 1st), Idlib", etc, he Denounced. The First Area ("Afrin"), obviously concerns Directly Turkey's Military Attacks against Syrian Kurds and Pro-Government Syrian Forces, but Also the Second ("Idlib") involves, indirectly but surely, Turkey, since it concerns various Islamist Jihadists and outright Terrorists, who have been Concentrated and Piled up there, by Gathering the Remnants of Al-Quaida-like and/or ISIL's collapse, elsewhere in Syria, who have all been, in one way or another, notoriously tolerated and even Supported also by the Turkish Government...

- UNO's Political USG Denounced, for those Areas, (i.e. "Afrin" at First), "the Humanitarian challenges and Suffering of the People", and, even, went as far as to "Emphasize that Developments in these Areas will undoubtedly render the situation in Syria even more Complex", as he Warned.

=> Therefore, "there will be No sustainable Solution (in the Syrian Conflict) if the (UNO) Council’s Resolutions are Not Implemented", Feltman stressed, Urging "all" UN Security Council's "Member States, to Use their Influence" in order "to Ensure Implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities", and "Fulfill their Obligations to End the Fighting in Syria", as well as to make a "Serious Investment in a Political Solution". That's why, UNO's SC "Calls for a ReNewed Commitment, by ALL Concerned Member States to Seriously Work to Implement this Cessation of Hostilities", he pointed out, (as far as Also Turkey's Militarily Aggression in Afrin is concerned).

------------------------

What was Turkey's immediate reaction, at Afrin's Battlefield ?

- After the above-mentioned Turkish Army's "Attack on Badinli" Village, that Same Day of February 28, (reportedly "Repelled" by YPG Syrian Kurds),

+ "Turkish Air Strikes in Afrin", "Killed 13 Pro-(Syrian) Government Fighters" the Next Day, 1st of March, while "Heavy Clashes", with "Many Casualties on Both Sides", were also observed "in Balai Kuy" Village, "between YPG (Syrian Kurds) and the Turkish Army", which also "strongly Shelled ... with Artillery", again, the "Badinli" village, at the Same Time thay Ankara was "Sending New Military Convoys to the Afrin canton", (etc. : See also Infra)...

Such Facts were Reported by various Converging Sources, and particularly by Specialized Web-Media "SyrianCivilWarMap" (SCWM), a Team of Freelance Reporters systematically Publishing (in 3 Coordinated Internet Platforms) relevant Factual Informations, that they claim to gather directly from original sources on the spot, (and which has already been used by Mainstream Medias, including, f.ex., Germany's ARD TV, etc). Its Credibility has been, until now, proven several Times, to be quite Resilient, (as, f.ex., on the Recent "Breaking News" about Pro-Governemental Syrian Popular Forces coming to Join Syrian Kurds' Defensive Fight against the Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation by Turkey's Army, etc).

+ Thus, in Addition, from the 2nd of March 2018, the Turkish Army reportedly "re-Captured" the Villages of Adah Manli and Ali Bakki, "Captured", for the 1st Time, the Villages of Maskanli and Mamali, and "Reached" the important "Raju Town".

- And, this Saturday, 3 of March, the Turkish Military and its Cronies re-Captured Umranli Village, and reportedly Invaded and Occupied, for the 1st Time, the Syrian Kurdish Villages of Bafliyun, Jamelka, Ramadiyah and Shamanli.

- "SCWM"'s anouncement about also "Raju Town" being Occupied by the Turkish Army, was Not yet Totally Confirmed by Other Sources, until now : London-Based NGO the "Syrian Observatory for Human Rights" ("SOHR") said that Turkish Military had Seized a Majority of that Key Town's Setltlements, but Not All, while Syrian Kurdish Forces-led "SFD" Alliance, (the main Ally of the USA-led International Coalition against ISIS), reportedly said that Turkish Army and its Cronies had "Infiltrated" Rajo Town, But "Clashes were (still) Continuing" between SDF and the Intruders.

+ The Worse and most Deadly Hit, was, however, that of Long and Heavy Air-Strikes by Turkish WarPlanes, during more than 5 Hours (from 05 up to 10 a.m.), against a Group of Pro-Syrian Government Forces, located at a former Russian Base in Afrin's Kafr Jina Village, which seems to have Massacrated more than 36 People, (withOut any Fight, since the Syrian Kurdish Region of Afrin is notoriously Deprived, not only of any real Tanks (Unlike ISIL's Islamist Terrorists, who had even Heavy "Abraham" Tanks), and mainly Airplanes, but also from any kind of Air Defence, resulting into a too Easy Pray for Turkey's Military Invasion's WarPlanes.

At least as long as there is Not Yet any kind of Air Blockade, or "No - Fly Zone" protecting Afrin, Contrary to what France, the UK and USA had done in the Recent Past in Libya, (See, f.ex.: ... + ..., etc), as well as Russia, for 2 Days over Afrin, just After the Recent Downing even of a 3rd Russian Airplane and the Death of its Pilot while Crossing over Nearby Idlib Region, (notoriously Full of Armed Islamist Extremists and Terrorists, Gathered there, Near Turkey's Borders, particularly after the Failure of Al-Queda-like and ISIL's atrocious Terror regime, almost Everywhere else around Syria and Iraq, since the New US Administration of President Don Trump).

Including, f.ex., (after an Earlier Atrocious Mutilation of a Syrian Kurdish Woman's Body, who had been Killed, and Afterwards Sullied in Public, and Video-Taped by a Band of Coawards Islamist Extremists, Cronies of the Turkish Army : See : ...+ ..., etc), Brutal Killings of Defenseless Prisoners of War (POWs), earlier Arrested and Investigated by Turkish Soldiers, as Revealed by several Videos, (Combined Together), published and debated also by "SCWM" and Others, (See: ... + ....), etc.

+Added to Deadly Humanitarian Law Breaches against Civilian People at Afrin's Syrian Kurdish Region, such as, those already Attested by "AMNESTY" International, "HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH", etc, as they've announced Recently :

- Including"Indiscriminate Shelling of Civilian People in Afrin", by the Turkish Military, (i.e. "use of Artillery in Civilian Areas", Prohibited by International Law), regarding which, AMNESTY "Verified Witness Testimony from ... Afrin, that "painted a Grim Picture", resulting from "15 People's Intervews", whose "accounts had been Corroborated by Video Analysis", revealing "Indiscriminate ShellFire", according to BBC, (published on February 28) :

- F.ex., at Maabatli Village, a Shell hit a House Killing 5 of the 6 People inside : "The Attack Destroyed the House completely, Killing the Father, Mother and three Children younger than 15. A fourth child... is in Critical condition". But, "there are No Military headquarters next to the house… The closest frontline is 41 km Away, at the (Syrian-Turkish) Border", a Resident witnessed.

+ In General, During all this Period of Time of 1,5 Month, since the Beginning of the Turkish Military Invasion at Afrin's Syrian Kurdish Area, there is Not yet any systematic Independent Observers' Access to all those Villages which were Attacked and are now Occupied by the Turkish Army and its Jihadist Armed Gangs.

Given Turkey's notoriously Bad Record in Dealing with Kurdish People, and Ankara Government's recent Threats to practically "Replace" the genuine Population of the Occupied Afrin's Syrian Kurdish area by some Other People, Chosen and Transfered there by the Invading Turkish Army, obviously, the Worst Abuses can be Expected, (particularly in the Absence of real External, Independent OverSight)...

In such a Context, Ankara's Prime Minister Yildirim's latest Boasting that the Invading Turkish Military would be, Now, "Surrounding" Afrin's Capital City, (that they seem to have Approached at a Distance of about 20 Kms), located right in the Middle of the synonumous Syrian Kurdish District, appears naturally Alarming, (and having Obviously ByPassed, Far Too Long, the Limits set up, Earlier, inter alia, also by French President Macron and others, between a so-called "Border Security" Operation (as Ankara Claims) and a Blatantly illegal Military Invasion and Occupation of an Independent Country, in gross Violation of International Law...

-----------------------

- Naturally, Syrian Kurdish People, and their Pro-Syrian Government Allies, also Fought Back, during these Clashes, strongly Resisting to Turkey's Military Invasion, and sometimes even ReGaining Ground :

F.ex., in Addition to Earlier Events, also on February 27, YPG reportedly Succeeded to Liberate the Syrian Kurdish Village of Umranli from the Turkish Army, and on February 28, they managed to "Repel an Attack on Badinli" Village by the Turkish Military. While on the 1st of March, it was reported that YPG "shot down a Turkish Military Helicopter, near the (Syria - Turkey) Border", that, during Ankara's Military Invasion, 8 Turkish Soldiers were Killed in "Clashes" Facing Syrian Kurds and Pro-Syrian Government Forces, (who Lost, however, also 13 among them, that Same Day, "by Turkish AirStrikes" : Comp. Supra), as well as that Afrin's Defenders "Destroyed a Turkish Tank" when it Attacked "Raju District", (etc).

And it's More than a Month and a Half now, that Turkey's Army has proven Unable yet to Reach Afrin City, even so Near to the Turkish Borders and practically Surrounded by Idlib's numerous Armed Islamist Extremist Jihadists, Deprived of Regular Army to Defend it, withOut real Tanks, Neither Airplanes or Helicopters, Not even Air-Defense, and particularly Difficult to Communicate with Bigger Syrian Kurdish Regions, much Further at the East, as well as very Far Away from the main bulk of Syrian Government's Army...

On the Contrary, Turkey's Military has reportedly Lost at least 1 Military Airplane, 2 or 3 Army Helicopters, several Tanks and various Other Vehicles, a Growing Number of Killed or Wounded Soldiers, (and Much More among its Islamist Extremist Jihadists' cronies), during this Longer than expected Invasion and Occupation of Syria's most Peaceful Kurdish Region, (as USA's Defence Secretary Mattis has already observed, right from the Start).

Foreign Observers, in Europe and elsewhere, found Now an Occasion to Remark the Fact that the Turkish Army, (Contrary to Most Other Countries in Europe and accross the World), has ..."Not Fought in Any real War", since the Foundation of the Turkish Republic, all the Way Long Between 1923 - 2018, i.e. almost during a Century ! Turkish Soldiers, indeed, have Only Bullied, from Times to Times, a Few very much Weaker and/or practically UnArmed Targets, (as, f.ex. Cyprus, etc), and/or Massively Oppressed Internal Political Dissidents, (as f.ex. the Turkish Kurds, and/or various Other Opponents in case of Military "Putsch", as Back in the 1980ies, etc), but they DidN't even Fought during the 2nd World War, nor at Any Other Real, fully-fledged Clash, Anywhere Else... And having, Now, to Face even Syrian Kurdish ... Women and Young Girls, notoriously Defending their Homeland, (as they have also just done, Earlier, quite Efficiently, even against ISIS' Brutal Islamist Terrorists, cowardsly Targetting Civilian People), could Not really make anyone feel really "Proud" at all...

To this Exceptional InExperience, was Recently Added also the UnPrecedented Incident of Massive "Cleansing" and "Witch-Hunt" even Inside the Turkish Military, which has notoriously Affected a Large Number of Top Officers and numerous Soldiers since that Strange, 6 Hours-Long, alleged "Coup" Attempt of July 2016, after which, even Experienced Top Army Leaders, as well as Thousands of Turkish Soldiers, have been Exceptionally Dismissed, Persecuted, Arrested and Jailed, (if not Brutally Lynched by Violent Mobs), often ill-treated in Inhuman/Degraded ways. So that Many Dozens of Turkish Army Officers have recently Asked for Political Asylum throughout Europe and elsewhere, (including, f.ex., a Dozen of Turkish Dissidents Refugees, together with their Families, who reportedly asked Asylum in Neigbouring Greece after arriving by Boat at Rhodes' Island, just a few Days ago, but also Earlier, around NATO's Headquarters in Mittel-Europa, f.ex. Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, etc). In Addition, the "Purges" inside the Turkish Army seem to Persist even Nowadays, as, f.ex., the Latest Dismissals and Arrests of another Group of 178 Officers and Soldiers in Turkey, have just Reminded.

Politically Worse : Ankara has, Unwillingly, provoked an UnPrecedented Alliance between Syrian Kurds and the National Syrian Government's Forces, who have Started, for the 1st Time, to Fight Together against the Turkish Military Attacks and UnProvoked Invasion inside an Independent Country, which has Loudly Denounced such a Brutal Violation of International Law.

In Addition, about a Thousand more of various Critics inside Turkey have been recently Prosecuted, Arrested and even Jailed, just for Calling for Peace and Criticizing the Military Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Region of Afrin, (including Academicians, the National Leadership of Medical Doctors, simple Social Medias users, etc). This has Trggered several clear "Condamnations" of Ankara's Oppressive practices even there, included by EU Parliament's latest Resolution on Turkey, thanks to a Last-Minute Amendment supported and Voted by All Political Groups on February in Strasbourg, (See : ...).

Last, but not least, even Morally, the Horrible recent Spectacle of Turkey-backed Islamist Gangs, Cowardly Sully the Body of a Mutilated and Killed Syrian Kurdish Woman, (See Video, already Published at: ...), or Brutally Kill a Defenseless Prisoner earlier Arrested and Questioned by Turkish Soldiers, (as 2 Other, more Recent Videos apparently Reveal, taken Combined Together : Comp. Supra), and/or Shamelessly ... Take a Selfie on the Background of an Atrociously Burned Alive and Calcinated Corpse of a Killed Man, (as the Latest Photo surfaced on the Web, allegedly from Afrin, seems to reveal), etc., obviously will Not Fix the ambient Feeling of participating in a Dirty War...

But, probably Most of All : The very Idea that Europeans, including Russians, Americans and Other influential People accross the World, who could and should have ReActed Efficiently Earlier to Turkey's Deadly Military Invasion and Occupation of Syria's Kurdish Areas, with clearly UnProvoked but Destructive Turkish Army Attacks, against, precisely, those Brave Syrian Kurdish People who notoriously Dared and Succeeded to Help Efficiently Face the Worse Islamist Terrorist of ISIL's Coward Killers Targetting innocent Civilian People even throughout all Europe, the USA, and various Other Countries accross the World, might, perhaps, Totally Abandon them withOut any Real and Timely Help for Peace, obviously Risks to Hurt Europe, America and Every Honest Country much Worse, Deep inside its own Conscience, Values, History and Identity, than Anything Else...

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Professor Emmanuel Decaux, of Paris' Pantheon University, an Experienced Member and former President of UNO's Committee on Enforced Doguisapearances (CED) at nearby Geneva, speaking to "Eurofora" at the CoE, on the occasion of an International Seminar on such Tragic Issues, co-Organized by UNO, the CoE, and the Foundation René Cassin for Human Rights, Chaired by ECHR's former Long-Time President, Professor Jean-Paul Costa, (Comp. various Costa statements to "Eurofora", f.ex.: at ..., +..., +...., etc), appeared to find that eventual Obstacles to Investigations might be Easier to Tackle, when it comes to Time Deadlines, than when it concerns Destruction of Material Evidence.

Both these Problems appear, particularly, even to one among the Older and World-Famous Cases of Many "Missing" People, with which ECHR and CoE's Committee of Ministers, have been Dealing since Many Years, but withOut, yet, being able to overcome, not even once, the Total Impunity of all those who might be Responsible for More than a Thousand of Enforced Disappearances, because of several practical Obstacles until now :

- Those of Greek Cypriot "Missing" Persons (initially more than 1.689) mainly after the Turkish Military Invasion/Occupation since 1974, for which Ankara's Government has been repeatedly Condemned by the ECHR, but without yet finding Anyone among those Responsible for their Enforced Disappearance, Despite many Years of Efforts to Implement ECHR's Judgements.

------------------

President Costa reminded, from the outset, that he had "Presided in the (ECHR's) Grand Chamber case of Varnava v. Turkey", (which, precisely, concerns a great part of those Cyprus' cases).

+ And he Stressed, as a matter of General Principle, that "the Phenomenon of Enforced Disappearances represents one of the Worst Violations of Human Rights, and Spreads in Many parts of the World", while "it may qualify as a "Crime Against Humanity". Nevertheless, "the Number of Disappearances is Currently more Increasing (f.ex. in Mexico, etc), than not", as he observed.

----------------------------------

- "Eurofora" asked, at First, Professor Decaux, to confirm Whether and How, the UNO's Committed on Enforced Disappearances, (which has Entered into Force only during Recent Years, might, nevertheless, eventually Extend also to some among some among the Older, and Internationaly Famous cases of "Missing" People in Europe, which have already been Judged by ECHR, a Long Time ago, as those, f.ex., of Cyprus, and/or Others, which concern Facts dating at least since the 1970ies.

Just before that, Japan's Consul General and Permanent Observer at the CoE, Takamasa Sato, had told "Eurofora" that his Country was particularly interested also with certain "Missing" Persons' issues, affecting Japanese People, already since the Late 1970ies, allegedly, f.ex. in Northern Corea, etc. And there were also the Notorious Issues concerning certaon Latin American Countries as Argentina, etc., (See Infra).

- "It's quite Complicated for us (UNO's CED), since there some provisions in the UN Convention according to which the Cases of the Past (i.e. Before its recent Entry into Force, on 2012) are Not Examined, per se", he replied, at first.

- "Nevertheless, we consider that the Way that a State treats the Past, is an Issue of Today !", he positively stressed.

=> So, when we Examine their National Reports, during the Discussions, we can Raise also such Questions, concerning how they deal with the Past of such Issues, Nowadays, he explained, as far as the followed Practice is concerned.

- "For the First Time, we had to deal with that on the occasion of Latin America Countries, who are Willing to do so. Because, f.ex., for Argentina this (UNO's Connvention Mechanism) would have No sense if everything Started only After 2012 !", he pointed out.

- "We (UNO's CED) tried to do alike also with Spain, concerning the Civil War (of 1936), but it was Difficult. And this raises also Questions about How Long in the Past could be we go : F. ex., even Before a Country became UNO's Member ? and/or even Before UNO's Creation ?", etc.

-----------------------------------

+ But, when it came to an even more Specific and Hard Problem, concerning a particular way of Material Evidence Destruction, things appeared even more Difficult :

- "Eurofora" asked Prof. Decaux whether, according to his Long and World-wide Experience, he had found SImilar Problems Elsewhere, with a particularly Nasty Obstacle recently Denounced in Cyprus, which reportedly Hinders a lot the on-going Investigations on the Fate of the "Missing" People :

It concerns the Fact that, Astonishingly, in too Many Cases, (particularly at the Territories of Cyprus Occupied by Turkey's Army since the 1974 Military Invasion), the Remains of a Lot of "Missing" People are Not Intact, Nor Complete, but Often consisting in Bones Broken in Many Small Pieces, or Tiny Fractions of Pieces, which, in Addition, are, in several cases, ... Dispersed throughout various Different Locations ! It's the Infamous Problem of several "Re-Burrials", i.e. of all or Parts of Mass Graves which have, Curiously, been, Afterwards, Transferred Elsewhere, in an apparently Systematic way, with the Result to make even Identifications of the Victims very Difficult, Tricky, if not Impossible, and, a fortiori, Hinder to Find the Truth on what really Happened to them...

=> To the point that, on 2017, even the President of Cyprus, Nikos Anastassiades, was obliged to exceptionally Denounce openly such Strange Practices as "Criminal" !

>>> It was Surprizing for "Eurofora" to Find Today that even Professor Decaux, one among the Rare UN Experts to have a much Longer and Wider Experience than most others, on Issues concerning "Missing" People (Comp. Supra), initially Reacted with Spontaneous Astonishment, as if he had Never Seen such a Problem Before, Anywhere Else in the World...

He knew about cases where Criminals had tried to abuse of various "Acids", and/or to "Throw" the Bones of their Victims "to the Sea", in Lakes or Rivers, etc. I.e. Methods of Proof Destruction which might be used in Isolated Cases of only 1 or a Few Victims, but, obviously, Not so much when it comes to Big "Mass Graves", as in the case of Cyprus, particularly since 1974.

On the Contrary, at least his first Reaction, when he heard about those Specific Problems, curiously met Several Times, by Investigations on Cyprus' "Missing" People, Professor Decaux acknowledged his Surprize, and was (exceptioally) Unable to mention clearly Other Similar Problems Elsewhere in the World !

- "Except, perhaps, in some cases in the Balkans ?", he Wondered, but withOut being able to even cite one, Neither to clearly and unequivocally confirm that now....

=> Proof that it's, indeed, a Rare Phenomenon ?

----------------------------

The New President of UNO's CED, Miss Suela Janina, an Experienced Diplomat (who has served also in Brussels on EU issues) from Albania, even if she was initially Scheduled to be the 1st Keynote Speaker, immediatly after the Introductions, nevertheless, curiously went ...Missing, (fortunately only for a Few Hours !), apparently having been Hindered by some Transport and/or other practical Problems, and, therefore, wasn't able to arrive at the CoE in Strasbourg but only very Later.

Thus, Because also of a Press "Black-Out" on the 2nd and 3rd Parts of that Exceptional International Conference, dealing with a particularly "Hot" and Delicate matter of some among the Worst Violations of Human Rights, (and Including, inter alia, also a Confidential Briefing on CoE's Committee of Ministers' on-going work for the Supervision of ECHR Judgements' Execution by the condemned Member States, which Traditionally takes place Behind Closed Doors), "Eurofora" and other Journalists were UnExpectedly Hindered to Interview her, (except from a Short, but Kindly Smiling, Salute when she Arrived, Running to Catch-up with the Time Lost by unknown reasons)...

------------------------------

Cyprus' "Missing" People issues are Scheduled to be Examined by CoE's Committee of Ministers on June 2018, during the Supervision of ECHR Judgements' Implementation by States which have been Condemned for Violations, as, in this case, Turkey.

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It's at a splendid Natural landscape, inside a Forest plateau with superbe view over Paris, at Saint Cloud, that the incoming French EU Presidency had the good idea to join together all EU Member Countries' Ministers of Environment and Energy, in two overlaping EU Councils in a series, from 3 to 5 July 2008.

Fresh rain happily dissipated July's heatwave, before a bright Sun shined at the conclusion of the EU gathering around a huge statue of Earth (See Photo).

French super-Minister of State for Energy, Transport and Environment, Jean-Louis Borloo, and Minister for Environment, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet chaired the first EU Ministerial meeting at Paris' area, together with EU Commissioners Demas and Pielbags, surprising Journalists with improvised Press-points, at key-moments of the discussions.

Environment and Energy are key to the development of New Technologies to boost Europe's role in the World, while also responding to Citizens' concerns, stressed Borloo, speaking to Journalists earlier in Strasbourg.

According to well-infomed sources from the French EU Presidency, the aim is to stimulate a growing trend inside EU Parliament, via various on-going Reports developping in parallel, towards achieving the necessary targets before December.

For this purpose, Top-level representatives from Borloo's super-Ministry are expected to come in Strasbourg during EU Parliament's plenary, next Wednesday, a key official told "EuroFora".

Polls

2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

* My Media didn't clearly say which political positions won in 2009 EU Elections. It left it gray and confused.

* Respect People's Democratic Choices, by making EU less Technocratic, more open to EU Citizens' participation, and by rectifying 1999-2004's errors on Turkey's controversial EU bid, which blocked EU institutions in an unprecedented Crisis